Intracellular behaviour ofLeishmania enriettii within murine macrophages

Abstract
Both promastigotes and amastigotes ofLeishmania enriettii were readily ingested by mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM). Promastigotes after their entry within MPM were rapidly immobilized and their multiplication was never observed. Microscopic examination revealed that ingested promastigotes were degraded within MPM. Nonmotile amastigotes ofL. enriettii taken up by MPM, on the other hand, multiplied intracellularly and eventually destroyed the infected cells.