Fig. 3

Tridimensional reconstruction of nuclear chromatin regions during T. cruzi metacyclogenesis. 3D reconstruction of different developmental stages, from epimastigote to metacyclic, where three different FIB-SEM slices were used to show chromatin state and distribution. High and low electron-dense chromatin regions, which correspond to heterochromatin and euchromatin, respectively, were quantified from TEM slices. Note chromatin remodeling as the differentiation process advances. The euchromatin region (yellow) decreases, whereas the heterochromatin area (purple) increases and occupies mainly the nucleus periphery. The 3D reconstruction is a representative image obtained for one replicate, but similar observation was obtained for other replicates. Ratio values of eu-/heterochromatin for each cell type, in triplicates, were used for statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA test). *—Epimastigote vs. Intermediate I; **—Epimastigote vs. Intermediate III, and ***—Epimastigote vs. Metacyclic