Egress Regulatory Factors: How Toxoplasma Exits from Infected Cells?

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular protozoan in the family Apicomplexa. It infects almost one-third of the world’s population and causes toxoplasmosis, a prevalent disease. The parasite’s egress from infected cells is a key step in the pathology caused by T. gondii. Moreover, T. gondii’s continuous infection relies heavily on its capacity to migrate from one cell to another. Many pathways are involved in T. gondii egress. Individual routes may be modified to respond to various environmental stimuli, and many paths can converge. Regardless of the stimuli, the relevance of Ca2+ as a second messenger in transducing these signals, and the convergence of various signaling pathways in the control of motility and, ultimately, egress, is well recognized. This review attempts to outline intra- and extra-parasitic regulators that mediate T. gondii egress, and provides insight into potential clinical interventions and research.