THE PARASITOPHOROUS VACUOLE MEMBRANE SURROUNDING PLASMODIUM AND TOXOPLASMA - AN UNUSUAL COMPARTMENT IN INFECTED-CELLS

Plasmodium and Toxoplasma belong to a group of unicellular parasites w hich actively penetrate their respective mammalian host cells. During the process of invasion, they initiate the formation of a membrane, th e so-called parasitophorous vacuolar membrane, which surrounds the int racellular parasite and which differs substantially from endosomal mem branes or the membrane of phagolysosomes. The biogenesis and the maint enance of the vacuolar membrane are closely related to the peculiar ce llular organization of these parasites and are unique phenomena in cel l biology. Here we compare biological similarities and differences bet ween the two parasites, with respect to: (i) the formation, (ii) the m aintenance,and (iii) the biological role of the vacuolar membrane. We conclude that most differences between the organisms primarily reflect the different biosynthetic capacities of the host cells they invade.