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Expansion microscopy of apicomplexan parasites
  • Benjamin Liffner,
  • Sabrina Absalon
Benjamin Liffner
Indiana University Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Corresponding Author:bliffner@iu.edu

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Sabrina Absalon
Indiana University Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
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Abstract

Apicomplexan parasites comprise significant pathogens of humans, livestock, and wildlife, but also represent a diverse group of eukaryotes with interesting and unique cell biology. Study of cell biology in apicomplexan parasites is complicated by their small size, and historically this has required the application of cutting-edge microscopy techniques to investigate fundamental processes like mitosis or cell division in these organisms. Recently, a technique called expansion microscopy has been developed, which rather than increasing instrument resolution like most imaging modalities, physically expands a biological sample >4-fold. In only a few years since its development, a derivative of expansion microscopy known as ultrastructure-expansion microscopy (U-ExM) has been widely adopted and proven extremely useful for studying cell biology of Apicomplexa. Here we review the insights into apicomplexan cell biology that have been enabled through the use of U-ExM, with a specific focus on Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, and Cryptosporidium. Further, we summarise emerging expansion microscopy modifications and modalities and forecast how these may influence the field of parasite cell biology in future.
24 Jun 2023Submitted to Molecular Microbiology
26 Jun 2023Submission Checks Completed
26 Jun 2023Assigned to Editor
26 Jun 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
05 Jul 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
09 Jul 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
17 Jul 20231st Revision Received
18 Jul 2023Submission Checks Completed
18 Jul 2023Assigned to Editor
20 Jul 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Jul 2023Editorial Decision: Accept