Encystation of in Axenic Culture.

is a parasitic protozoan that causes amoebic dysentery, which affects approximately 90 million people each year worldwide. is transmitted through ingestion of food and water contaminated with the cyst form, which undergoes excystation in the small intestine to the trophozoite form that colonizes the large intestine. The reptile pathogen has served as a model for studying stage conversion between the trophozoite and cyst form due to lack of reproducible encystation of in the laboratory.