title: Development of larval Echinococcus granulosus confronted with chicken heart tissue in vitro.
abstract: Vesiculated protoscoleces (VP) were produced by culturing freshly collected protoscoleces from Echinococcus granulosus horse liver hydatids in RPMI 1640 monophasic medium at 37 degrees C for 18 days. Half of the VP were used as such, the other half used after killing them by freeze-thawing. Nine-day-old chicken heart fragments (CHF) were cultured in MEM at 37 degrees C for 72 h. Subsequently, CHF were put together with live and dead VP, respectively, for up to 53 days, on a semisolid medium consisting of agar, Ringer's and MEM. Time-dependent histological observations revealed that dead VP were surrounded by CHF cells. Dead VP tissue was eventually internalized and disintegrated in about 1 week. Live VP penetrated into the CHF tissue and further developed into small hydatid cysts, located within the boundaries of the experimental 'host' tissue. The amorphous-looking contact region PAP-stained positively only with anti-E. granulosus serum and not with anti-CHF serum; it was considered identical to the normal laminated layer. The invasion of VP in CHF tissue proved to be different from a tumour or a bacterial invasion: it was concluded that the confrontation of VP and CHF had resulted in an 'in vitro cohabitation' rather than in an 'in vitro infection'.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoophysiology, State University of Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: De Rycke
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Ridder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000254:growth & development*; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media