title: Superiority of hemoglobin to hemin for cultivation of Leishmania tropica promastigotes in serum-free media.
abstract: Leishmania tropica promastigotes grew slowly but could be maintained for long periods in serum-free hemin-containing media formulated previously for other Leishmania species or in slightly simplified versions of these media. Replacement of hemin in the medium by hemoglobin resulted in a much longer log phase and a significant reduction in the doubling time. Cell counts in cultures started at 1 x 10(5) cells/ml increased 400-fold in less than 140 h in the hemoglobin-containing media. These media also proved suitable for growing L. donovani and L. enriettii promastigotes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Shiraz University Medical School, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gholamhosseinian
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vassef
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D006427:Hemin; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006427:Hemin