Visualization of the mitochondria of Toxoplasma gondii-infected mouse fibroblasts by the cationic permeant fluorescent dye rhodamine 123.

The mitochondria of living mouse fibroblasts infected with Toxoplasma gondii were monitored with the cationic permeant fluorescent dye rhodamine 123. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that host cell mitochondria accumulated at the cytoplasmic surface of parasitophorous vacuoles and increased the dye uptake in the periparasitophorous vacuole as T. gondii multiplied.