Plasmodium falciparum : Enhanced gametocyte formation in vitro in reticulocyte-rich blood

• Published in: Experimental parasitology Vol. 91; no. 2; pp. 115 - 118
• Main Authors: TRAGER, W, GILL, G. S, LAWRENCE, C, NAGEL, R. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier 01.02.1999
• Subjects: Anemia - blood; Anemia, Sickle Cell - blood; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; Experimental protozoal diseases and models; Gametogenesis; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Parasitic diseases; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - physiology; Protozoal diseases; Reticulocytes - parasitology; Human; Protozoa; Host parasite relation; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Malaria; Anemia; Parasite; Stimulation; Host; Parasitosis; Gametocyte; Blood; Infection; Plasmodium falciparum; Reticulocyte; Formation
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1006/expr.1998.4347

Concentrates of late stage parasites of the gametocyte-forming clone HB-3 were mixed with blood rich in reticulocytes from anemic patients, or with normal control blood, and kept under culture conditions for 4 days. Significantly more gametocytes were always formed in the reticulocyte-rich blood than in the control. This was true whether the anemic blood supported a larger asexual parasitemia than the control, or a lower one, or the same and without regard to the cause of the anemia. Gametocytes as a percentage of asexual forms were up to 10 times higher in reticulocyte-rich blood than in normal blood.