Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T04:58:20.191Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Factors affecting the growth and behaviour of axenic strains of Entamoeba invadens Rodhain, 1934

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

Elspeth W. McConnachie
Affiliation:
Molteno Institute, University of Cambridge

Extract

1. Axenic strains of Entamoeba invadens can be maintained indefinitely, by serial culture, in saline containing a slice of liver. Growth in this medium is poor, the amoebae are vacuolated, and few cysts are formed.

2. The optimum concentration of NaCl for amoebic growth in this medium is 0·75–1·0%, and the optimum pH is 5·7–6·1.

3. The source of the liver tissue in the medium is unimportant, but, of several tissues tested, liver was the only one which supported amoebic growth in serial culture.

4. Suspensions of minced liver also supported amoebic growth, but the growth-promoting activity of the liver was removed completely by centrifugation, autoclaving, and Seitz- or glass-filtration. Heat treatment at 50–60° C. and prolonged storage at 8° C. partially inactivated the liver.

5. Growth in axenic saline-liver medium does not affect the ability of E. invadens to grow and undergo mass encystation when reassociated with suitable bacteria.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1958

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baernstein, H. D., Rees, C. W. & Bartgis, I. L. (1956). The reproduction of Entamoeba histolytica with cell-free supernates of chick embryo mince. Amer. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 5, 373.Google Scholar
Balamuth, W. & Sandza, J. G. (1944). Simple, standardized culture medium for physiological studies on Entamoeba histolytica, Proc. Soc. exp. Biol., N.Y., 57, 161.Google Scholar
Cleveland, L. R. & Sanders, E. P. (1930). The production of bacteria-free amoebic abscesses in the liver of cats and observations on the amoebae in various media with and without bacteria. Science, 72, 149.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dobell, C. & Laidlaw, P. P. (1926). On the cultivation of Entamoeba histolytica and some other entozoic amoebae. Parasitology, 18, 283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dougherty, E. C. (1953). Problems of nomenclature for the growth of organisms of one species with and without associated organisms of other species. Parasitology, 42, 259.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lamy, L. (1948 a). Obtention simple d'une culture pure temporaire d'amibes parasites. C.R. Acad. Sci., Paris, 226, 1400.Google Scholar
Lamy, L. (1948 b). Obtention d'une culture bactériologiquement pure d'amibes parasites pathogènes (Entamoeba invadens, Rodhain) ne comportant aucune addition de germes bactériens morts, ni d'aucun extrait microbien. C.R. Acad. Sci., Paris, 226, 2021.Google Scholar
McConnachie, E. W. (1955). Studies on Entamoeba invadens Rodhain, 1934 in vitro, and its relationship to some other species of Entamoeba. Parasitology, 45, 452.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McConnachie, E. W. (1956). Modification and elimination of the bacterial flora in cultures of Entamoeba invadens Rodhain, 1934. Parasitology, 46, 117.Google Scholar
Miller, M. J. (1951). A method for in vitro culture of Entamoeba invadens free from bacteria. Canad. J. Comp. Med. 15, 268.Google ScholarPubMed
Miller, M. J. (1953). Bacteria-free Entamoeba invadens. Nature, Lond., 172, 1192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nelson, E. C. (1947). Alcoholic extract medium for the diagnosis and cultivation of Endamoeba histolytica. Amer. J. Trop. Med. 27, 545.Google Scholar
Price, W. H. (1947). Bacteriophage formation without bacterial growth. I. Formation of Staphylococcus phage in the presence of bacteria inhibited by penicillin. J. Gen. Physiol. 31, 119.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reeves, R. E., Meleney, H. E. & Frye, W. W. (1957 a). Bacteria-free cultures of Entamoeba histolytica. Amer. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 6, 394.Google Scholar
Reeves, R. E., Meleney, H. E. & Frye, W. W. (1957 b). Bacteria-free cultures of Entamoeba histolytica with chick embryo tissue juice. Z. Tropenmed. u. Parasitol. 8, 213.Google Scholar
Shaffer, J. G. (1953). Factors affecting the propagation of Endamoeba histolytica in vitro in the S–F medium and in tissue-bearing substrate. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 56, 1033.Google Scholar
Shaffer, J. G. & Sienkiewicz, H. S. (1952). Propagation of a strain of Endamoeba histolytica in tissue-bearing culture. Science, 116, 306.Google Scholar
Shaffer, J. G., Sienkiewicz, H. S. & Washington, J. E. (1953). The propagation of Endamoeba histolytica in tissue-bearing culture without accompanying bacteria or other microorganisms. Amer. J. Hyg. 57, 366.Google Scholar
Stoll, N. R. (1957). Axenic culture of Entamoeba invadens in the absence of tissue. J. Protozool. 4, Suppl. 8.Google Scholar
van Wagtendonk, W. J., Miller, C. A. & Conner, R. L. (1952). Growth requirements of Paramecium aurelia, var. 4, stock 51·7(s) in a medium free of other living organisms. Fed. Proc. 11, 302.Google Scholar