Editing Leishmania (section)

==Structure==
''Leishmania'' species are [[protist|unicellular eukaryote]]s having a well-defined [[Cell nucleus|nucleus]] and other cell organelles including [[kinetoplast]]s and [[flagella]]. Depending on the stage of their life cycle, they exist in two structural variants, as:<ref name=dna>{{cite web|title=Morphology and Life Cycle|url=http://dna.kdna.ucla.edu/parasite_course-old/leish_files/subchapters/morphology%20and%20life%20cycle.htm|publisher=UCLA|access-date=24 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Pulvertaft|first=RJ|author2=Hoyle, GF |title=Stages in the life-cycle of Leishmania donovani.|journal=Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene|year=1960|volume=54|issue=2|pages=191–6|doi=10.1016/0035-9203(60)90057-2|pmid=14435316}}</ref>  
#The '''amastigote''' form is found in the mononuclear phagocytes and circulatory systems of humans. It is an intracellular and nonmotile form, being devoid of external flagella. The short flagellum is embedded at the anterior end without projecting out. It is oval in shape, and measures 3–6&nbsp;μm in length and 1–3&nbsp;μm in breadth. The kinetoplast and basal body lie towards the anterior end.
#The '''promastigote''' form is found in the [[alimentary tract]] of sandflies. It is an extracellular and motile form. It is considerably larger and highly elongated, measuring 15-30&nbsp;μm in length and 5&nbsp;μm in width. It is spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends. A long flagellum (about the body length) is projected externally at the anterior end. The nucleus lies at the centre, and in front of it are the kinetoplast and the basal body.
[[File:Leish amastig macrofago.jpg|thumb|''L. infantum'' amastigote forms]]