Figure 1

Cholesterol and neutral lipid/lipid droplet localization in free E. bovis stages. Freshly excysted E. bovis sporozoites were stained by filipin (A = phase contrast) and Bodipy 493/405 (C = phase contrast). Note the bright filipin signal in the apical part (*) and pellicula (B) and the strong Bodipy 493/405 staining of the refractile bodies (rb) and cytosolic lipid droplets (ld) (D). Refractile bodies but no lipid droplets were stained in sporozoites by Nile red (G, H = close-up, E/F = phase contrast). Merozoites I showed strong filipin-induced signals in the pellicula (J arrows, I = phase contrast) and at the apical tips (L *, K = phase contrast). Bodipy 493/405 staining revealed cytosolic lipid droplets in merozoites I (N, P arrows; M, O = phase contrast). Scale bars represent 5 μm.