TcTASV-c is expressed at the trypomastigote surface.

<p><b>A–C:</b> Indirect immunofluorescence was performed on unpermeabilized trypomastigotes using anti-TcTASV-C antibodies. Asterisks in A denote parasites that do not express TcTASV-C, whose DNA content was labeled with DAPI. B and C: Magnification showing the surface pattern of the TcTASV-C distribution. DNA labeling: A and B: DAPI; C: propidium iodide (PI). <b>D–E:</b> Live trypomastigotes (1×10⁶/assay) from CL Brener (D) or RA (E) strains were reacted with affinity-purified anti-TcTASV-C antibodies (blue) for 1 hour at 4°C and processed for analysis by flow cytometry. The specificity of the binding to TcTASV-C proteins was confirmed by pre-adsorption of the antibodies with the recombinant protein TcTASV-C before incubation with the parasites (pre-adsorbed, green line). Negative (IgG from normal mice; black line) and positive (sera from <i>T. cruzi</i>-infected mice; purple line) controls were included.