Strategies by which some pathogenic trichomonads integrate diverse signalsin the decision-making process

The interaction between each one of Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomona s foetus with their hosts is a complex process in which components associat ed to the cell surfaces of both parasites and host epithelial cells, and al so to soluble components found in vaginal/urethral secretions, are involved . Either cytoadhesion or the cytotoxicity exerted by parasites to host cell s can be dictated by virulence factors such as adhesins, cysteine proteinas es, laminin-binding proteins, integrins, integrin-like molecules, a cell de tachment factor, a pore-forming protein, and glycosidases among others. How trichomonads manipulate informations from the extracellular medium, transd uce such informations, and respond to them by stimulating the activities of some surface molecules and/or releasing enzymes are the aspects concerning trichomonal virulence which are here briefly reviewed and discussed.