A rhoptry is a specialized secretory organelle. Rhoptries, as well as micronemes, are characteristic of the motile stages of Apicomplexa protozoans, (specifically merozoites), and are usually located toward the apical end of the organism. These structures can vary in number and shape, and contain numerous enzymes that are released during the penetration process. The proteins they contain are important in the interaction between the host and the parasite.[1]
References
- ^ Bradley, Peter J; Chris Ward, Stephen J. Cheng, David L. Alexander, Susan Coller, Graham H. Coombs, Joe Dan Dunn, David J. Ferguson, Sanya J. Sanderson, Jonathan M. Wastling and John C. Boothroyd (October 7, 2005). "Proteomic Analysis of Rhoptry Organelles Reveals Many Novel Constituents for Host-Parasite Interactions in Toxoplasma gondii". J. Biol. Chem 280 (40): 34245–34258. http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/abstract/M504158200v1. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
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