[In vitro culture of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in HFF and HeLa cells].
OBJECTIVE
To study the proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain tachyzoites in human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells and HeLa cells.


METHODS
HFF cells and HeLa cells were cultured in 35 mm cell culture dishes with glass cover slip. Confluent cells were co-cultured with tachyzoites which purified by 3 microm filter membrane. At 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h after co-culture, the invasion of tachyzoites into the cells and proliferation in cells were observed with Giemsa staining.


RESULTS
In 4 h after co-culture, there were dozens of T. gondii tachyzoites in the HFF cells. At 24 h many pseudocysts emerged. At 72 h most of the cells were destroyed by tachyzoites. While cultured in HeLa cells for 8 h, there were only 3-5 tachyzoites in one cell, and pseudocysts emerged at 48 h. At 96 h after co-culture, most cells were destroyed.


CONCLUSIONS
Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites can be cultured in HFF cells and HeLa cells. The proliferation of tachyzoites in HFF cells was quicker than that in HeLa cells.
School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Liang
L
Wu
Qiu-Xia
QX
Zhang
Ting-Ting
TT
Li
Sheng-Xi
SX
Chen
Jian-Ping
JP
Cao
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D052816:Foreskin / Q000166:cytology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C094052:soluble tachyzoite antigen, Toxoplasma gondii