title: Development of a cell line from Echinococcus granulosus germinal layer.
abstract: In vitro culture of parasitic helminths provides an important tool to study cell regeneration and physiology, as well as for molecular biology and genetic engineering studies. In the present study, we established in vitro propagation of cells from Echinococcus granulosus germinal cyst layer. E. granulosus germinal cells grew beyond 100 passages and showed no signs of reduced proliferation capacity. Microscopic analysis revealed that cells grew both attached to the substrate and in suspension, forming three-dimensional structures like mammalian stem cell aggregates. Examination of the chromosome number of attached germinal cells showed a high degree of heteroploidy, suggesting the occurrence of transformation during culture. Monolayer cells survived cryopreservation and were able to proliferate after thawing. Based on the characteristics displayed by E. granulosus germinal cells, we establish a cell line from the E. granulosus germinal layer. Furthermore, we propose that this cell line could be useful for drug screening and for obtaining parasite material.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Zoonosis Parasitarias, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Funes 3350, Nivel Cero, (7600) Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.
authors.forename: Clara María
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Albani
authors.forename: Andrea Carina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cumino
authors.forename: María Celina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Elissondo
authors.forename: Guillermo María
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Denegri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000166:cytology*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000254:growth & development*; D008853:Microscopy; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Cell line; Cestode; Cryopreservation; Echinococcus granulosus; Germinal cells; Parasite