STUDIES ON SERUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CULTIVATION OF PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM .2. MEDIUM ENRICHMENT

Abstract

Previous experiments using RPMI 1640 medium have indicated that the dialysis of human serum removes components of low relative molecular mass (6000-8000 RMM) that are essential for continuous cultivation of P. falciparum. To determine which low-RMM components are important for parasite development, growth in normal serum was compared to that in dialyzed serum using a number of other commercially available media, which we considered to be richer than RPMI 1640. Hypoxanthine was the major dialyzable nutrient required for parasite development. High quality bovine serum requires 3-12 .times. 10-5 mol/l of hypoxanthine as a supplement to support continuous cultures of P. falciparum. Parasite growth in medium containing supplemented bovine serum has not been attained that is as good as growth in medium containing human serum.