Progression of asexual to sexual stages of Cystoisospora suis in a host cell-free environment as a model for Coccidia

Coccidia display a characteristic life cycle, where the parasites switch between asexual and sexual development, resulting in an environmental stage, the oocyst. The entero-pathogenic Cystoisospora suis, a coccidian parasite of swine and close relative to Toxoplasma gondii, undergoes development in one host-cycle. Despite the well-described intracellular development of Coccidia, the C. suis life cycle can progress in an in vitro, host cell-free...