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Ullah I, Farringer MA, Burkhard AY, Hathaway E, Khushu M, Willett BC, Shin SH, Sharma AI, Martin MC, Shao KL, Dvorin JD, Hartl DL, Volkman SK, Bopp S, Absalon S, Wirth DF. Artemisinin resistance mutations in Pfcoronin impede hemoglobin uptake. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.22.572193. [PMID: 38187525 PMCID: PMC10769401 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.572193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Artemisinin (ART) combination therapies have been critical in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality, but these important drugs are threatened by growing resistance associated with mutations in Pfcoronin and Pfkelch13 . Here, we describe the mechanism of Pfcoronin -mediated ART resistance. Pf Coronin interacts with Pf Actin and localizes to the parasite plasma membrane (PPM), the digestive vacuole (DV) membrane, and membrane of a newly identified preDV compartment-all structures involved in the trafficking of hemoglobin from the RBC for degradation in the DV. Pfcoronin mutations alter Pf Actin homeostasis and impair the development and morphology of the preDV. Ultimately, these changes are associated with decreased uptake of red blood cell cytosolic contents by ring-stage Plasmodium falciparum . Previous work has identified decreased hemoglobin uptake as the mechanism of Pfkelch 13-mediated ART resistance. This work demonstrates that Pf Coronin appears to act via a parallel pathway. For both Pfkelch13 -mediated and Pfcoronin -mediated ART resistance, we hypothesize that the decreased hemoglobin uptake in ring stage parasites results in less heme-based activation of the artemisinin endoperoxide ring and reduced cytocidal activity. This study deepens our understanding of ART resistance, as well as hemoglobin uptake and development of the DV in early-stage parasites.
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Rodrigues PS, Azeredo MDF, Almeida NDS, de Almeida GGCG, Wanderley JLM, Seabra SH, DaMatta RA. Plasmodium chabaudi Merozoites Obtained through a Simpler Method Do Not Survive in Classically Activated Macrophages. Microorganisms 2024; 12:105. [PMID: 38257932 PMCID: PMC10818340 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria is caused by apicomplexan parasites of the Plasmodium genus. Plasmodium chabaudi is an excellent animal model for the study of human malaria caused by P. falciparum. Merozoites invade erythrocytes but are also found in other host cells including macrophages from the spleen and liver. Methodologies for obtaining merozoites usually involve treatment with protease inhibitors. However, merozoites obtained in this way may have their enzymatic profile altered and, therefore, are not ideal for cell-interaction assays. We report the obtainment of P. chabaudi merozoites naturally egressed from a synchronous erythrocyte population infected with schizonts forms. Merozoites had their infectivity and ultrastructure analyzed. Interaction assays were performed with mice erythrocytes and classically activated mice peritoneal macrophages, a very well-established classic model. Obtained merozoites were able to kill mice and efficiently infect erythrocytes. Interestingly, a lower merozoite:erythrocyte ratio resulted in a higher percentage of infected erythrocytes. We describe a simpler method for obtaining viable and infective merozoites. Classically activated macrophages killed merozoites, suggesting that these host cells may not serve as reservoirs for these parasites. These findings have implications for our understanding of P. chabaudi merozoite biology and may improve the comprehension of their host-parasite relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Souto Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (M.d.F.A.); (N.d.S.A.); (G.G.C.G.d.A.)
| | - Milena de Farias Azeredo
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (M.d.F.A.); (N.d.S.A.); (G.G.C.G.d.A.)
| | - Natália de Souza Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (M.d.F.A.); (N.d.S.A.); (G.G.C.G.d.A.)
| | - Gisela Garcia Cabral Galaxe de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (M.d.F.A.); (N.d.S.A.); (G.G.C.G.d.A.)
| | | | - Sergio Henrique Seabra
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (M.d.F.A.); (N.d.S.A.); (G.G.C.G.d.A.)
| | - Renato Augusto DaMatta
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.R.); (M.d.F.A.); (N.d.S.A.); (G.G.C.G.d.A.)
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3
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Cooper C, Thompson RCA, Clode PL. Investigating parasites in three dimensions: trends in volume microscopy. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:668-681. [PMID: 37302958 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
To best understand parasite, host, and vector morphologies, host-parasite interactions, and to develop new drug and vaccine targets, structural data should, ideally, be obtained and visualised in three dimensions (3D). Recently, there has been a significant uptake of available 3D volume microscopy techniques that allow collection of data across centimetre (cm) to Angstrom (Å) scales by utilising light, X-ray, electron, and ion sources. Here, we present and discuss microscopy tools available for the collection of 3D structural data, focussing on electron microscopy-based techniques. We highlight their strengths and limitations, such that parasitologists can identify techniques best suited to answer their research questions. Additionally, we review the importance of volume microscopy to the advancement of the field of parasitology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal Cooper
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation, and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - R C Andrew Thompson
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Peta L Clode
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation, and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
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4
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Monnerat G, Kasai-Brunswick TH, Asensi KD, Silva dos Santos D, Barbosa RAQ, Cristina Paccola Mesquita F, Calvancanti Albuquerque JP, Raphaela PF, Wendt C, Miranda K, Domont GB, Nogueira FCS, Bastos Carvalho A, Campos de Carvalho AC. Modelling premature cardiac aging with induced pluripotent stem cells from a hutchinson-gilford Progeria Syndrome patient. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1007418. [PMID: 36505085 PMCID: PMC9726722 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1007418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder that causes accelerated aging and a high risk of cardiovascular complications. However, the underlying mechanisms of cardiac complications of this syndrome are not fully understood. This study modeled HGPS using cardiomyocytes (CM) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from a patient with HGPS and characterized the biophysical, morphological, and molecular changes found in these CM compared to CM derived from a healthy donor. Electrophysiological recordings suggest that the HGPS-CM was functional and had normal electrophysiological properties. Electron tomography showed nuclear morphology alteration, and the 3D reconstruction of electron tomography images suggests structural abnormalities in HGPS-CM mitochondria, however, there was no difference in mitochondrial content as measured by Mitotracker. Immunofluorescence indicates nuclear morphological alteration and confirms the presence of Troponin T. Telomere length was measured using qRT-PCR, and no difference was found in the CM from HGPS when compared to the control. Proteomic analysis was carried out in a high-resolution system using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The proteomics data show distinct group separations and protein expression differences between HGPS and control-CM, highlighting changes in ribosomal, TCA cycle, and amino acid biosynthesis, among other modifications. Our findings show that iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes from a Progeria Syndrome patient have significant changes in mitochondrial morphology and protein expression, implying novel mechanisms underlying premature cardiac aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Monnerat
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tais Hanae Kasai-Brunswick
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,National Center of Structural Biology and Bioimaging, CENABIO, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karina Dutra Asensi
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Danubia Silva dos Santos
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Pires Ferreira Raphaela
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila Wendt
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kildare Miranda
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Barbosa Domont
- Proteomic Unit, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fábio César Sousa Nogueira
- Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,Proteomic Unit, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Adriana Bastos Carvalho
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,National Science and Technology Institute in Regenerative Medicine, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,*Correspondence: Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho,
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5
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Babesia, Theileria, Plasmodium and Hemoglobin. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081651. [PMID: 36014069 PMCID: PMC9414693 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The Propagation of Plasmodium spp. and Babesia/Theileria spp. vertebrate blood stages relies on the mediated acquisition of nutrients available within the host’s red blood cell (RBC). The cellular processes of uptake, trafficking and metabolic processing of host RBC proteins are thus crucial for the intraerythrocytic development of these parasites. In contrast to malarial Plasmodia, the molecular mechanisms of uptake and processing of the major RBC cytoplasmic protein hemoglobin remain widely unexplored in intraerythrocytic Babesia/Theileria species. In the paper, we thus provide an updated comparison of the intraerythrocytic stage feeding mechanisms of these two distantly related groups of parasitic Apicomplexa. As the associated metabolic pathways including proteolytic degradation and networks facilitating heme homeostasis represent attractive targets for diverse antimalarials, and alterations in these pathways underpin several mechanisms of malaria drug resistance, our ambition is to highlight some fundamental differences resulting in different implications for parasite management with the potential for novel interventions against Babesia/Theileria infections.
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Rivera-Cuevas Y, Mayoral J, Di Cristina M, Lawrence ALE, Olafsson EB, Patel RK, Thornhill D, Waldman BS, Ono A, Sexton JZ, Lourido S, Weiss LM, Carruthers VB. Toxoplasma gondii exploits the host ESCRT machinery for parasite uptake of host cytosolic proteins. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010138. [PMID: 34898650 PMCID: PMC8700025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a master manipulator capable of effectively siphoning the resources from the host cell for its intracellular subsistence. However, the molecular underpinnings of how the parasite gains resources from its host remain largely unknown. Residing within a non-fusogenic parasitophorous vacuole (PV), the parasite must acquire resources across the limiting membrane of its replicative niche, which is decorated with parasite proteins including those secreted from dense granules. We discovered a role for the host Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) machinery in host cytosolic protein uptake by T. gondii by disrupting host ESCRT function. We identified the transmembrane dense granule protein TgGRA14, which contains motifs homologous to the late domain motifs of HIV-1 Gag, as a candidate for the recruitment of the host ESCRT machinery to the PV membrane. Using an HIV-1 virus-like particle (VLP) release assay, we found that the motif-containing portion of TgGRA14 is sufficient to substitute for HIV-1 Gag late domain to mediate ESCRT-dependent VLP budding. We also show that TgGRA14 is proximal to and interacts with host ESCRT components and other dense granule proteins during infection. Furthermore, analysis of TgGRA14-deficient parasites revealed a marked reduction in ingestion of a host cytosolic protein compared to WT parasites. Thus, we propose a model in which T. gondii recruits the host ESCRT machinery to the PV where it can interact with TgGRA14 for the internalization of host cytosolic proteins across the PV membrane (PVM). These findings provide new insight into how T. gondii accesses contents of the host cytosol by exploiting a key pathway for vesicular budding and membrane scission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Rivera-Cuevas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Joshua Mayoral
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Manlio Di Cristina
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna-Lisa E. Lawrence
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Einar B. Olafsson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Romir K. Patel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Dishari Thornhill
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Benjamin S. Waldman
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Akira Ono
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Z. Sexton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Louis M. Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Sherling ES, van Ooij C. Host cell remodeling by pathogens: the exomembrane system in Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2017; 40:701-21. [PMID: 27587718 PMCID: PMC5007283 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuw016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is caused by infection of erythrocytes by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. To survive inside erythrocytes, these parasites induce sweeping changes within the host cell, one of the most dramatic of which is the formation of multiple membranous compartments, collectively referred to as the exomembrane system. As an uninfected mammalian erythrocyte is devoid of internal membranes, the parasite must be the force and the source behind the formation of these compartments. Even though the first evidence of the presence these of internal compartments was obtained over a century ago, their functions remain mostly unclear, and in some cases completely unknown, and the mechanisms underlying their formation are still mysterious. In this review, we provide an overview of the different parts of the exomembrane system, describing the parasitophorous vacuole, the tubovesicular network, Maurer's clefts, the caveola-vesicle complex, J dots and other mobile compartments, and the small vesicles that have been observed in Plasmodium-infected cells. Finally, we combine the data into a simplified view of the exomembrane system and its relation to the alterations of the host erythrocyte. Plasmodium parasites remodel the host erythrocyte in various ways, including the formation of several membranous compartments, together referred to as the exomembrane system, within the erythrocyte cytosol that together are key to the sweeping changes in the host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma S Sherling
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
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8
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Ramos CL, Gomes FM, Girard-Dias W, Almeida FP, Albuquerque PC, Kretschmer M, Kronstad JW, Frases S, de Souza W, Rodrigues ML, Miranda K. Phosphorus-rich structures and capsular architecture in Cryptococcus neoformans. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:227-238. [PMID: 28262043 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM In this study, we aimed to analyze the relationship of phosphorus-rich structures with surface architecture in Cryptococcus neoformans. METHODS Phosphorus-rich structures in C. neoformans were analyzed by combining fluorescence microscopy, biochemical extraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe x-ray microanalysis and 3D reconstruction of high pressure frozen and freeze substituted cells by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). RESULTS & CONCLUSION Intracellular and surface phosphorus-enriched structures were identified. These molecules were required for capsule assembly, as demonstrated in experiments using polysaccharide incorporation by capsule-deficient cells and mutants with defects in polyphosphate synthesis. The demonstration of intracellular and cell wall-associated polyphosphates in C. neoformans may lead to future studies involving their participation in both physiologic and pathogenic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline L Ramos
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio M Gomes
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wendell Girard-Dias
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernando P Almeida
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Priscila C Albuquerque
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Matthias Kretschmer
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - James W Kronstad
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Susana Frases
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcio L Rodrigues
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kildare Miranda
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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9
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Augusto I, Monteiro D, Girard-Dias W, Dos Santos TO, Rosa Belmonte SL, Pinto de Oliveira J, Mauad H, da Silva Pacheco M, Lenz D, Stefanon Bittencourt A, Valentim Nogueira B, Lopes Dos Santos JR, Miranda K, Guimarães MCC. Virtual Reconstruction and Three-Dimensional Printing of Blood Cells as a Tool in Cell Biology Education. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161184. [PMID: 27526196 PMCID: PMC4985121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell biology discipline constitutes a highly dynamic field whose concepts take a long time to be incorporated into the educational system, especially in developing countries. Amongst the main obstacles to the introduction of new cell biology concepts to students is their general lack of identification with most teaching methods. The introduction of elaborated figures, movies and animations to textbooks has given a tremendous contribution to the learning process and the search for novel teaching methods has been a central goal in cell biology education. Some specialized tools, however, are usually only available in advanced research centers or in institutions that are traditionally involved with the development of novel teaching/learning processes, and are far from becoming reality in the majority of life sciences schools. When combined with the known declining interest in science among young people, a critical scenario may result. This is especially important in the field of electron microscopy and associated techniques, methods that have greatly contributed to the current knowledge on the structure and function of different cell biology models but are rarely made accessible to most students. In this work, we propose a strategy to increase the engagement of students into the world of cell and structural biology by combining 3D electron microscopy techniques and 3D prototyping technology (3D printing) to generate 3D physical models that accurately and realistically reproduce a close-to-the native structure of the cell and serve as a tool for students and teachers outside the main centers. We introduce three strategies for 3D imaging, modeling and prototyping of cells and propose the establishment of a virtual platform where different digital models can be deposited by EM groups and subsequently downloaded and printed in different schools, universities, research centers and museums, thereby modernizing teaching of cell biology and increasing the accessibility to modern approaches in basic science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Augusto
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Carlos Alberto Redins, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil.,Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Douglas Monteiro
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wendell Girard-Dias
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thaisa Oliveira Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Carlos Alberto Redins, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Jairo Pinto de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Carlos Alberto Redins, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Helder Mauad
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Dominik Lenz
- Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Vila Velha, Vila Velha, Brazil
| | | | - Breno Valentim Nogueira
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Carlos Alberto Redins, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Kildare Miranda
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho e Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marco Cesar Cunegundes Guimarães
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Carlos Alberto Redins, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
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