Light microscopy has significantly advanced in recent decades, especially concerning the increased resolution obtained in fluorescence images. Here we present the Expansion Microscopy (ExM) technique in two parasites, Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus, which significantly improved the localization of distinct proteins closely associated with cytoskeleton by immunofluorescence microscopy. The ExM techniques have been used in various cell types, tissues and other protist parasites. It requires the embedment of the samples in a swellable gel that is highly hydrophilic. As a result, cells are expanded 4.5 times in an isotropic manner, offering a spatial resolution of ∼70 nm. We used this new methodology not only to observe the structural organization of protozoa in more detail but also to increase the resolution by immunofluorescence microscopy of two major proteins such as tubulin, found in structures formed by microtubules, and costain 1, the only protein identified until now in the T. foetus's costa, a unique rod-shaped like structure. The individualized microtubules of the axostyle were seen for the first time in fluorescence microscopy and several other details are presented after this technique.

近几十年来，光学显微镜取得了显着的进步，特别是在荧光图像中获得的分辨率提高方面。在这里，我们介绍了两种寄生虫（阴道毛滴虫和胎儿毛滴虫）的扩展显微镜（ExM）技术，该技术通过免疫荧光显微镜显着改善了与细胞骨架密切相关的不同蛋白质的定位。 ExM 技术已用于各种细胞类型、组织和其他原生寄生虫。它需要将样品嵌入高度亲水性的可膨胀凝胶中。结果，细胞以各向同性的方式膨胀 4.5 倍，提供~70 nm 的空间分辨率。我们使用这种新方法不仅可以更详细地观察原生动物的结构组织，而且还可以通过免疫荧光显微镜提高两种主要蛋白质的分辨率，例如在微管形成的结构中发现的微管蛋白，以及迄今为止唯一鉴定的蛋白质。现在在T. fetus的肋部，有一个独特的杆状结构。轴杆的个体化微管首次在荧光显微镜中观察到，并且在该技术之后还呈现了其他一些细节。