Protozoa - Key Terms

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contractile vacuole

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cell organelle; small spherical vesicle found in the cytoplasm of many freshwater protozoans, by which surplus water is expelled

e.g. amoeba proteus

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lopopodia

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flat, broad pseudopodia

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pseudopodium/ pseudopod

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temporary cytoplasmic protrusion/extension from an ameobid cell which functions in locomotion or in feeding by phagocytosis

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erythrocytic

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inside the erythrocytes (red blood cells)

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saprozoic/saprophyte

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feeding on dead or decaying animal/organic matter

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trophozoite

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the active, motile feeding stage of a sporozoan parasite

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holozoic

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obtaining food in the matter of animals (ingestion followed by digestion)

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flagellate(s)

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bearing flagella;
group of protozoa with motile adult stages moving by means of flagella

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amastigote

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stage in the life cycle of trypanosoma;
oval/round cell has a nucleus, kinetoplast, basal body with a very short, or sometimes absent, flagellum

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unicellular

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consisting of only one cell; characteristic of protozoa

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exoerythrocytic

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outside of the erythrocytes (red blood cells)

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cytopharynx

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tube-like structure leading from "mouth" (cytosome) to the cell interior, serving as a gullet through in some flagellates/cilliates (Protozoa)

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pellicle

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thin protective skin/membrane in some protozoa e.g. Trypanosoma

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dioecious

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separate sexes

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hermaphrodite

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both sexes in one organism

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schizogony

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asexual reproduction by multiple divison/fission

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sporozoite

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motile, spore-like infective stage of some protozoa, resulting from sporogony

e.g. Plasmodium (Phylum Sporozoa)

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sporogony

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spore formation by multiple fission of a zygote or spore; type of asexual or sexual reproduction

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schizont

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multinucleated cell stage during asexual reproduction (schizogony) in the life cycle of sporozoa
e.g. Plasmodium

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ookinete

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elongated, motile zygote of certain protozoa (e.g. Plasmodium), penetrating the mosquito stomach to form an oocyst at the outer gut lining

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trypanosomiasis

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African Sleeping Sickness

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gametocytes

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cell capable of dividing to produce gametes

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quadrinucleate

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containing 4 nuclei
e.g. highly resistant, quadrinucleate cyst in life cycle of E. histolytica

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toxoplasmosis

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acute or chronic parasitic infection caused by obligate, intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Primary host is the domestic cat but humans are affected (usually asymptomatic). Serious implications during pregnancy (fetal infection) or in immunocompromised patients.

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endocommensal

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commensal living within the body of the host; both members benefit

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ectocommensal

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commensal living outside the body of the host; both members benefit

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binary fission

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asexual reproduction caused by the splitting of a parent cell into 2 equal-sized daughter cells

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protozoa

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unicellular, heterogenous, heterotrophic eukaryotes, reproducing both, sexually and asexually, by the processes of binary fission, budding and schizogony.
Usually motile at some stage of the life cycle

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budding

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form of asexual reproduction, developing a genetically identical individual as an outgrowth of the parent organism
e.g. yeast cells

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uroid

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tail region of a moving amoeba

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merozoite

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daughter cell of a protozoan parasite (sporozoa e.g. Plasmodium) produced by asexual schizogony