Stage-specific adhesion of Leishmania promastigotes to sand fly midguts assessed using an improved comparative binding assay

Wilson, Raymond and Bates, Michelle D and Dostalova, Anna and Jecna, Lucie and Dillon, Rod J and Volf, Petr and Bates, Paul A (2010) Stage-specific adhesion of Leishmania promastigotes to sand fly midguts assessed using an improved comparative binding assay. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 4 (9): e816.

Abstract

The binding of Leishmania promastigotes to the midgut epithelium is regarded as an essential part of the life-cycle in the sand fly vector, enabling the parasites to persist beyond the initial blood meal phase and establish the infection. However, the precise nature of the promastigote stage(s) that mediate binding is not fully understood.