Culture ofPlasmodium falciparum in vitro: a subculture technique used for demonstrating antiplasmodial activity in serum from some Gambians, resident in an endemic malarious area

Abstract

A technique is described for obtaining consistent reinvasion and multiplication of the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum from humans in vitro. Subsequent to this, P. falciparum was subcultured through almost three cycles in vitro, during which multiplication of the parasite was obtained in the first but maintenance or only slight increase in numbers was obtained in the second subculture. The effect of sera from adult Gambians on the reinvasion of P. falciparum was measured in vitro both morphologically and by the incorporation of [14C]isoleucine into parasite protein and by the incorporation of [3H]adenosine into parasite DNA and RNA. Two sera reduced the amount of reinvasion.