ABSTRACT
The material, denominated histolyticin, turned out to be a heterogeneous mixture of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, etc. This antigen allowed the take-off of modern immunology of amebiasis. Antigens present on the surface membrane of trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica must be the first to be recognized by the immune system of the host. Protein surface antigens are difficult to define because most of the reports refer to proteins obtained from total aqueous extracts obtained by sonication or homogenization of amebas. The aqueous extracts of amebas have been fractionated on molecular (Gel sieve) exclusion chromatography in order to obtain a more homogeneous material. The plasmatic membrane of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites is 10 nm thick and is covered externally by a glycocalix which in turn is constituted by carbohydrates.
