portrait

Description:

Dientamoeba is an amoeboid and amastigote parabasalid of about 5-20 µm in diameter, containing v-shaped parabasal body close to the nucleus but no flagella and axostyle. In binucleate cells a paradesmose is stretched between the two polar centers at the origin of the parabasal fibers. Anaerobic, contains hydrogenosomal granules, moves by amoeboism and phagocytoses particles such as bacteria and inhabits the intestine of humans. Dientamoeba fragilis, phase contrast.