Fig. 3
Morphological alterations of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes treated with IC50/48 h 2-BP. a-b Scanning electron microscopy of control (a) and 2-BP-treated (b) parasites. Note the extracellular leakage at the flagellar pocket region of treated epimastigotes (write arrows). Insets (bar = 5 μm): bright field microscopy of Giemsa-stained parasites. Control parasite (in a) showing the characteristic elongated shape; treated parasites (in b) were larger, with large vacuoles and were adhered by their flagella (black arrows). c-d Transmission electron microscopy. Control epimastigote (c) showing the typical elongated morphology. A representative Golgi complex is shown in the inset. 2-BP-treated parasites (d) presented large electron lucent vacuoles at the anterior tip (black arrows) and Golgi complex alterations (arrow in inset). N: nucleus; K: kinetoplast; FP: flagellar pocket; G: Golgi complex; R: reservosome; M: mitochondrion. Bars = 5 μm