The Biology of Trypanosomes

African and South American trypanosomiases are notable features of clinical and veterinary practice in their respective endemic areas and, as such, are of considerable economic importance. Scientifically, however, their importance ex­ tends beyond their clinical significance, as the trypano­ somes are intriguing and easily manipulated models for the study of the control of gene expression, membrane chemistry, proliferation and differentiation. It is clear from the scientific press that the rate of advance has "hotted" up in these areas of trypanosome research over the past 5 years and so a single-topic volume within the scope of the present series seemed timely. As ever, the final admix­ ture of review topics was a compromise between what was appropriate and what was available - fortunately with the former in vast excess. I should like to highlight two omissions, made for en­ tirely different reasons. The first is a detailed treatment of the molecular biology of the variant surface glycopro­ teins of the African trypanosomes (in particular Trypano­ soma brucei and T. equiperdum). This topic has been the subject of several reviews, for example, BORST and CROSS (1982)1 and TURNER (1982)2, and so was excluded from the present volume. The second omission is a review of the first-class work on genetic recombination from the group of Dr. Leo Jenni at the Schweizerisches Tropeninsti­ tut, Basel. This group has used isoenzyme markers to show that T.

Control of Differentiation in Trypanosoma cruzi. - Biosynthesis, Attachment and Release of Variant Surface Glycoproteins of the African Trypanosome. - Glycosylation of the Variant Surface Antigens of Trypanosoma brucei. - The Cell Surface of Trypanosoma cruzi. - Regulation of Parasitaemia in Mice Infected with Trypanosoma brucei. - Macrophages as Mediators of Immunosuppression in Murine African Trypanosomiasis. - Trypanosoma cruzi: Interaction with Host Cells. - An Influenza Virus Model for Trypanosoma cruzi Infection: Interactive Roles for Neuraminidase and Lectin. - The Relationship Between Autoimmunity and Chagas Disease: Causal or Coincidental? . - Trypanosoma brucei. - Trypanosoma cruzi. - Indexed in Current Contents.