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Gametocytogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro: a simple technique for the routine culture of pure capacitated gametocytes en masse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

R. E. Sinden
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College, London SW7 2EE
T. Ponnudurai
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Parasitology, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 24, University of Nijmegen, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
M. A. Smits
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld, 6525ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
A. M. Simm
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College, London SW7 2EE
J. H. E. Th. Meuwissen
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Parasitology, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 24, University of Nijmegen, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Summary

A technique is described for the growth of pure gametocyte cultures of Plasmodium falciparum. Using the classification of Hawking, Wilson & Gammage (1971) these cultures contain gametocytes of stages III, IV and V alone. Routine sexual cultures, varying from 0·35 ml static cultures to 500 ml shaking cultures, are exposed to an inhibitor of DNA synthesis (mitomycin C at 10 μg/ml) on the 11th day of culture, and the culture is harvested on the 14th day when capacitated stage V gametocytes are present. All other stages are killed by the drug and are morphologically degenerate within 2 days of the addition of the inhibitor.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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References

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