title: Use of a serum-free medium to produce in vitro Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites on Vero cells.
abstract: Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are cyst-forming coccidian parasites of human and veterinary clinical relevance. In vitro cultivation of the protozoans using Vero cells is usually performed in order to produce antigenic materials. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons of Vero cells grown in RPMI medium supplemented either with foetal calf serum (FCS), horse serum (HS) or a specific serum-free additive (DefCell) were performed. A serum-free cell culture system used to propagate N. caninum (NC-1 isolate) and T. gondii tachyzoites (Rh stain) were compared with the other two cell culture systems. FCS supplemented media was found to be more effective than the others in promoting Vero cells and N. caninum tachyzoites. However, it was found unable to support adequate T. gondii tachyzoite proliferation. Vero cells, T. gondii and N. caninum tachyzoite production gave similar growth patterns with either HS or DefCell supplemented media. Defcell was considered as a good alternative to supplement culture medium.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology and Pathology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Belgium. Francois.DeMeerschman@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Meerschman
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rettigner
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Focant
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boreux
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinset
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leclipteux
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Losson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003470:Culture Media; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D018688:Neospora / Q000254:growth & development*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000254:growth & development*; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free