An electron microscopic and cytochemical study of the cell coat of Trypanosoma cruzi in tissue cultures.

Using the cytochemical method of Thiery, a polysaccharide surface coat was demonstrated with the electron microscope in the various developmental stages of Trypanosoma cruzi maintained in tissue cultures. The cell coat was observed on the whole surface membrane system of T. cruzi. A positive reaction, similar to that observed in the cell membrane, was also obtained in the membranes of some vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the parasites. No granules were found in the parasites. No granules were found in the parasite which could represent reserve polysaccharides. The possible role of the cell coat in such phenomena as adhesion, agglutination, phago- and pinocytosis and antigenicity is discussed.