title: Intracellular parasite invasion strategies.
abstract: Intracellular parasites use various strategies to invade cells and to subvert cellular signaling pathways and, thus, to gain a foothold against host defenses. Efficient cell entry, ability to exploit intracellular niches, and persistence make these parasites treacherous pathogens. Most intracellular parasites gain entry via host-mediated processes, but apicomplexans use a system of adhesion-based motility called "gliding" to actively penetrate host cells. Actin polymerization-dependent motility facilitates parasite migration across cellular barriers, enables dissemination within tissues, and powers invasion of host cells. Efficient invasion has brought widespread success to this group, which includes Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, and Cryptosporidium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. sibley@borcim.wustl.edu
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Sibley
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000469:parasitology; D002477:Cells / Q000469:parasitology*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins