Cultivation of Mammalian Trypanosomes

SYNOPSIS. Cultivation of the mammalian trypanosomes can be accomplished in the following artificial environments: monophasic and diphasic blood agar, dialysate, undefined, and partially defined liquid media, semisolid media, avian embryos, and tissue cultures. The experimental purpose for cultivating a species usually determines the type of medium used. The various media are considered with reference to problems concerned with diagnosis, serology and morphology as well as metabolic, biochemical studies, etc., for which the different types have been utilized. Nutritional and environmental requirements for in vitro growth are noted. Most mammalian trypanosomes, regardless of the medium, multiply in stages peculiar to the invertebrate host. In certain species these forms are infective, in others they are not. In only a few instances has there been development beyond the usual invertebrate forms to an infective form or of the adult trypanosome of the vertebrate. Considerable progress has been made toward attaining a defined medium, but the exact nutritional components as yet have not been determined. Development of chemically defined media and of media which will support the growth of trypanosome stages which thus far have not been cultivated in vitro are major problems for the future.