Protozoan - Parasites, Pathogens, Disease

protozoan

Table of Contents

Introduction
Features of protozoans
Natural history
- Size range and diversity of structure
  - Flagellated protozoans
  - Amoebae and pseudopodia
  - Ciliated protozoans
  - Parasitic protozoans
- Distribution and abundance
- Ecological and industrial importance of protozoans
- Protozoans and disease
Form and function
- The protozoan cell
- Characteristics of locomotion
  - Flagellar propulsion
  - Cilium structure and beat
  - Amoeboid movement
- Respiration and other energy-generating pathways
  - Aerobic protozoans
  - Anaerobic protozoans
    - Hydrogenosomes
    - Mitosomes and glycosomes
- Carbon acquisition and nutrition
  - Mechanisms of food ingestion
  - Food vacuoles
  - Food selection
  - Mixotrophy
    - Photosynthesis and plastid acquisition
    - Symbiotic mixotrophy
    - Mixotrophy in planktonic protozoans
- Reproduction and life cycles
  - Mechanisms of asexual reproduction
  - Mechanisms of sexual reproduction
    - Conjugation in ciliates
    - Autogamy and modified conjugation
  - Parasitic protozoan life cycles
- Adaptations
Evolution and paleontology
Classification
- General principles
- Diagnostic features
- Annotated classification

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Parasitic protozoans have invaded and successfully established themselves in hosts from practically every animal phylum. The best-studied parasitic species are those of medical and agricultural relevance. The trypanosomes, for example, cause a number of important diseases in humans. African sleeping sickness is produced by two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei—namely, T. brucei gambiense and T. brucei rhodesiense. The life cycle of T. brucei has two hosts: a human (or other mammal) and the bloodsucking tsetse fly, which transmits the parasite between humans. Trypanosomes live in the blood plasma and the central nervous system of humans and have evolved an ingenious way ...(100 of 12724 words)

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