title: In vitro cultivation of southern African strains of Plasmodium falciparum and gametocytogenesis.
abstract: Sixteen southern African isolates of Plasmodium falciparum were successfully established and maintained in gassed tissue culture flasks which were either held in a static position or shaken. Shaken cultures yielded 48-hour growth rates ranging from 3.9-fold to 9.5-fold and peak parasitaemias ranging from 9% to 27%. Growth rates in static flasks were lower, ranging from 1.8-fold to 4.2-fold every 48 hours with peak parasitaemias ranging from 4% to 12%. Four of the established isolates were treated so as to promote gametocytogenesis and the rate of gametocyte production was found to be high. The mean percentage gametocytes by day 20-25 was 4.2% of erythrocytes, which represented approximately 50% of total parasites.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Diseases in a Tropical Environment of the South African Medical Research Council, Durban.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Freese
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Ridl
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Markus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D005718:Gametogenesis; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media