title: Metacyclogenesis of Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro: a simplified procedure.
abstract: A simplified procedure for obtaining high levels of infective, metacyclic trypomastigotes of a Brazilian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro is described. Epimastigotes cultured in Yaeger's Liver Infusion Tryptose Medium, when transferred to Grace's Insect Tissue Culture Medium (GMA) supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum, yielded over 90% metacyclic forms. Decreasing or eliminating the serum from GMA adversely affected growth but did not decrease levels of transformation, thus providing a chemically defined culture system for analysing factors influencing metacyclogenesis of T. cruzi.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media