HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology



Review

When intracellular pathogens invade the frontiers of cell biology and immunology

J. Pizarro-Cerdá1, E. Moreno2, M. Desjardins3 and J.P. Gorvel1

1Centre d'immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France, 2Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica and 3Departement d'Anatomie, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Offprint requests to: Dr. Jean-Pierre Gorvel, Centre d'immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Case 906, 13288 Marseille, France

 

Summary. Cellular microbiology has recently been described as a new discipline emerging at the interface between cell biology and microbiology (Cossart et ai., 1996). Many microbial pathogens can enter eukaryotic cells and live intracellularly either inside vacuoles or in the cytoplasm. The different steps during the invasion process are on the way of being dissected at the molecular level revealing new insights in basic cellular functions. Indeed, bacterial pathogenesis can help us to better understand the dynamics of cell cytoskeleton, intracellular membrane traffic and signal transduction events. The recent advancements in the field of microbial pathogenesis are creating a new cross-talk between cell biologists, microbiologists and immuno-Iogists. In this review, the different strategies used by several pathogens are presented and the mechanisms elaborated by host cells from the immune system to eliminate the parasites discussed. Histol Histopathol 12, 1027-1038 (1997)

 

Key words: Microbial pathogens, Intracellular parasitism, Membrane traffic, Vaccines, Phagocytosis, Cellular microbiology

DOI: 10.14670/HH-12.1027