Although erythrophagocytosis by various species of Entamoeba is a well known phenomenon this has not yet been studied in detail at the ultrastructural level. The present work deals with the description of the incorporation process of erythrocytes by trophozoites of E. histolytica. For this study, trophozoites of E. histolytica, HK-9:NIH strain cultured in axenic conditions and washed human erythrocytes were placed on a hot plate at 37°C in physiological saline solution. After 5 minutes, 2.5% glutarldehyde was added and the samples were processed according to conventional techniques for electron microscopy.Based upon light microscopy studies on living trophozoites in contact with erythrocytes, it seems that erythrophagocytosis only takes place in one pole of the parasite.
