A Brief View of the Surface Membrane Proteins fromTrypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruziis the causal agent of Chagas’ disease which affects millions of people around the world mostly in Central and South America.T. cruziexpresses a wide variety of proteins on its surface membrane which has an important role in the biology of these parasites. Surface molecules of the parasites are the result of the environment to which the parasites are exposed during their life cycle. Hence,T. cruzidisplays several modifications when they move from one host to another. Due to the complexity of this parasite’s cell surface, this review presents some membrane proteins organized as large families, as they are the most abundant and/or relevant throughout theT. cruzimembrane.