Merozoite

Merozoite

A merozoite (G. "meros", part [of a series] , +"zoon", animal) is a daughter cell of a protozoan parasite. Merozoites are the result of asexual reproduction (schizogony, merogony). In coccidiosis, merozoites form the first phase of the internal life cycle of coccidian.

In malaria, these spores infect red blood cells and then rapidly reproduce asexually. These merozoites then can break and destroy the red blood cell hosts and infect others. Antimalarial drugs can reduce these infections but there is as yet no complete cure for malaria. How the merozoite parasite invades a red blood cell is as yet unknown to science and research continues into this.

ee also

*Sporozoite
*Gametocyte
*merozoite surface protein


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  • Merozoite — Mérozoïte Un mérozoïte est une cellule fille d un protozoaire parasite. Les mérozoïtes sont le résultat de la reproduction asexuée (schizogonie, mérogonie). Dans le cas de la coccidiose, les mérozoïtes forment la première phase du cycle de vie… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Merozoite — Mer o*zo ite, n. [Gr. me ros part + Sporozoa.] (Zo[ o]l.) A form of spore, usually elongate or falciform, and somewhat amoeboid, produced by segmentation of the schizonts of certain Sporozoa, as the malaria parasite. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • merozoite — [mer΄ō zō′īt] n. [< Gr meros, part (see MERIT) + ZO(O) + ITE1] any of various cells produced by multiple fission in the asexual stage of certain protozoans, as the malaria parasite …   English World dictionary

  • Mérozoïte — Un mérozoïte est une cellule fille d un protozoaire parasite. Les mérozoïtes sont le résultat de la reproduction asexuée (schizogonie, mérogonie). Dans le cas de la coccidiose, les mérozoïtes forment la première phase du cycle de vie interne du… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • merozoite — noun a cell that arises from the asexual division of a parent sporozoan during its life cycle • Hypernyms: ↑sporozoan * * * ˈzōˌīt noun ( s) Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary mer (III) + Greek …   Useful english dictionary

  • Merozoite surface protein — A merozoite surface protein is a protein molecule taken from the skin, or surface, of a merozoite. A merozoite is a daughter cell of a protozoan. Merozoite surface proteins, or MSPs, are useful in researching malaria, a disease caused by… …   Wikipedia

  • merozoite — noun Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, from mero + zo + ite Date: 1900 a sporozoan trophozoite produced by schizogony that is capable of initiating a new sexual or asexual cycle of development …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • merozoite — Stage in the life cycle of the malaria parasite (Plasmodium ) : formed during the asexual division of the schizont. Merozoites are released and invade other cells …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • merozoite — /mer euh zoh uyt/, n. (in the asexual reproduction of certain sporozoans) a cell developed from a schizont that parasitizes a red blood cell in the host. [1895 1900; MERO + ZO + ITE1] * * * …   Universalium

  • merozoite — noun A protozoan cell, produced by a sporozoan by merogony, that may become either a meront or a gamont …   Wiktionary

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