Fig. 4
Effect of lupane on the ultrastructure of intracellular amastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis. (a-b) control cells, in B a dividing protozoa. (c) Lupane treatment (109 μM) for 48 h promoted cytosolic extraction in P1, followed by complete parasite destruction (P3). (d) Inset of P2 in Fig. c to observe membrane profiles (arrows) in the flagellar pocket region. (e) Membrane shedding (arrows), lipid vacuoles (LV) and the nucleus exhibiting a less compact chromatin (arrowhead). (f) A destroyed parasite inside a cytosolic vacuole. Note mitochondrial swelling with enlarged cristae (M). Arrows indicate subpellicullar microtubules; F – flagellum; FP – flagellar pocket; K – kinetoplast; M – parasite mitochondria; MN – macrophage nucleus; N – parasite nucleus; P1, P2 and P3 – intracellular amastigotes; VP – vacuole parasitophorous. Bars = 0.5 μm