Induction of Inflammatory Responses in Splenocytes by Exosomes Released from Intestinal Epithelial Cells following<i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i>Infection

Abstract

Cryptosporidium , a protozoan parasite that infects the gastrointestinal epithelium and other mucosal surfaces in humans and animals, is an important opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients and one of the most common enteric pathogens affecting young children in developing regions. This parasite is referred to as a “minimally invasive” mucosal pathogen, and epithelial cells play a central role in activating and orchestrating host immune responses.