title: Gametocytogenesis induction by ammonium compounds in cultured Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: Asexual parasites of a strain that seldom or never produce gametocytes in in vitro culture began gametocytogenesis after 24 h treatment with RPMI 1640 medium containing concanavalin A (final concentration, 10 micrograms ml-1) and ammonium carbonate (final concentration, 15 mM ml-1) or ammonium bicarbonate (final concentration, 15 mM ml-1). Gametocytogenesis was consistently observed from the 3rd day after the treatment. Concanavalin A enhanced gametocytogenesis induction by ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate, although concanavalin A does not itself have gametocytogenesis induction activity. Whereas no gametocytogenesis was observed after addition of concanavalin A and ammonium acetate (final concentration, 5-25 mM ml-1) or ammonium chloride (final concentration, 5-15 mM-1). Addition of ammonium compounds resulted in decrease of parasitemia, regardless of gametocytogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Protozoology, Osaka University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakabayashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds