Sporozoite
Sporozoite
Sporozoite (/spɔːrəˈzoʊ.aɪt/) is a stage in the life cycle of certain parasites, particularly those in the phylum Apicomplexa. This term is derived from the Greek words "spora" meaning seed and "zoon" meaning animal.
Etymology
The term "sporozoite" is derived from two Greek words: "spora" which means seed, and "zoon" which means animal. This term was first used in the late 19th century to describe a stage in the life cycle of certain parasites.
Life Cycle
Sporozoites are formed by sporogony, a process of asexual reproduction that occurs in the oocyst of the parasite. The sporozoites are then released and migrate to the salivary glands of the insect vector, where they are ready to be transmitted to the host during the next blood meal.
Once in the host, the sporozoites invade the liver cells and undergo schizogony, producing thousands of merozoites. These merozoites then invade the red blood cells, initiating the symptomatic phase of the disease.
Diseases
Sporozoites are responsible for the transmission of several diseases, including malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. In the case of malaria, the sporozoites are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito.
Related Terms
- Oocyst: The structure in which sporogony occurs and sporozoites are formed.
- Merozoite: The stage of the parasite that invades the red blood cells.
- Schizogony: The process of asexual reproduction in the life cycle of certain parasites.
- Sporogony: The process of asexual reproduction that leads to the formation of sporozoites.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sporozoite
- Wikipedia's article - Sporozoite
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