Growth of protozoa in tissue culture. III. Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

The technique used for cultivation of exoerythrocytic forms of P. gallinaceum has been applied to the growth of Trypanosoma cruzi also. A suspension of trypanosomes from the blood of an infected mouse was added to cultures of rat embryo. During the first 2 days great numbers of trypanosomes were present in the culture fluid, not particularly associated with the cells. Then they gradually became fewer until by about the 12th day they were rare or absent. Later small numbers reappeared in the culture fluid and persisted there until the end of the culture. Stained preparations made after. 6 days or more showed great numbers of intracellular parasites in all stages between the rounded leishmanoid form and the mature trypanosome form. The parasite occurred in cardiac muscle fibres, in macrophages and in elongated cells with processes (probably reticulo-endothelial cells). Cultures have been maintained for 59 days. As described by Meyer (1942) T. cruzi could also be grown in cultures from the brain of chick embryo. This technique offers favourable conditions for study of the intracellular development of T. cruzi and of the action of drugs upon it.