Innovative serum-free medium for in vitro cultivation of promastigote forms of Leishmania species

• Published in: Parasitology international Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 138 - 142
• Main Authors: Sharief, Abdalla Hassan, Khalil, Eltahir Awad Gasim, Omer, Samia Ali, Abdalla, Hamid Sulaiman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Animals; Culture Media, Serum-Free; Culture medium; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; In vitro reproduction; Infectious Disease; Leishmania; Leishmania - classification; Leishmania - growth & development; Leishmania - isolation & purification; Leishmania - pathogenicity; Leishmania donovani; Leishmania donovani - growth & development; Leishmania donovani - isolation & purification; Leishmania donovani - pathogenicity; Leishmania major - growth & development; Leishmania major - isolation & purification; Leishmania major - pathogenicity; Macrophages; Macrophages - parasitology; Mice; Parasitology - methods; Culture medium; CML; Parasite survival index; In vitro reproduction; Leishmania donovani; PSI; Macrophages; Fetal bovine serum; Culture medium for cultivation Leishmania; Visceral leishmaniasis; VL; FBS; FCS; Fetal calf serum
• ISSN: 1383-5769; 1873-0329
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2007.10.003

Abstract We described a comparatively simple medium formula (CML) using common, available and reasonably priced ingredients that could be used in place of medium that requires calf serum enhancement for cultivation of Leishmania promastigote forms. This medium equivalently supported the growth of parasites at rates comparable with those obtained with serum supplemented RPMI-1640 medium. Leishmania promastigotes reproduced in CML exhibited moderate to high infectivity capacities when tested against J774 macrophage cell line. No significant difference was noted between Leishmania strains cultivated in the newly modified medium and those grown in RPMI-1640 medium in their cells infectivity and replication potentials. The use of new CML can easily take the place of other biphasic or liquid media because of its easy preparation and instantaneous use, reasonable price, availability of ingredients, and its long shelf life, which is 30–45 days. The fact that this medium is similar to other culture media as far as durability and quantity of produced parasites might give it an advantage over the other currently used media.