Successful cultivation of cryptosporidium reveals previously undescribed gregarine-like developmental stages

This chapter presents an overview on the successful cultivation of Cryptosporidium. The successful cultivation reveals previously undescribed gregarine-like developmental stage. s. Cryptosporidium shows peculiarities that separate it from other coccidia, such as two morphofunctional oocysts, a multi-membranous feeder organelle, and endogenous development in the microvilli of epithelial surfaces. Cryptosporidium has a closer affinity with the gregarines than with the coccidian. This chapter presents a study in which at least two developmental stages in Cryptosporidium are found to be similar to those of some gregarines. These are an extracellular trophozoite/gamont-like stage and a gametocyst-like stage. Both stages were detected in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, surface association of gamont-like stages as well as oocyst formation by budding from gametocyst stages was observed in this study.