title: Aspects of Trypanosoma cruzi stage differentiation.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi alternates between different morphological and functional types during its life cycle. Since the discovery of this parasite at the beginning of the twentieth century, efforts have been made to determine the basis of its pathogenesis in the course of Chagas disease and its biochemical constituents. There has also been work to develop tools and strategies for prophylaxis of the important disease caused by these parasites which affects millions of people in Latin America. The identification of axenic conditions allowing T. cruzi growth and differentiation has led to the identification and characterization of stage-specific antigens as well as a better characterization of the biological properties and biochemical particularities of each individual developmental stage. The recent availability of genomic data should pave the way to new progress in our knowledge of the biology and pathogenesis of T. cruzi. This review addresses the differentiation and major stage-specific antigens of T. cruzi and attempts to describe the complexity of the parasite and of the disease it causes.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Carlos Chagas, ICC-Fiocruz-PR, Rua Prof. Algacyr Munhoz Mader, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Andrea Rodrigues
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Avila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D057056:Cysteine Proteases / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008322:Mammals; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000276:immunology; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C038790:GP72 antigen, Trypanosoma; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; C527132:glycoprotein GP82, Trypanosoma cruzi; C069715:trans-sialidase; D009439:Neuraminidase; D057056:Cysteine Proteases