title: Analysis of macrophage interactions with cryopreserved amastigotes of Leishmania tropica.
abstract: Amastigotes of Leishmania tropica were harvested from infected footpads of BALB/cJ mice and cryopreserved, using a controlled-rate freezer. This technique produced inocula with reproducible viability and infectivity for peritoneal macrophages from C3H/HeN mice. Cryopreserved amastigotes, stored for up to 17 weeks in a liquid nitrogen freezer, were similar to freshly harvested parasites in susceptibility to lymphokine-induced intracellular killing. Interactions of cryopreserved parasites with macrophages were best evaluated at 72 h, since macrophages preferentially ingested viable amastigotes and rapidly cleared ingested nonviable parasites.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005615:Freezing; D007891:Leishmania / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008222:Lymphokines