Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
Volume 43, Issue 2, Pages 115-124Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.08.004
Keywords
Apicomplexa; Cell culture; Model; Screening; Stage conversion; Transgenic parasites
Categories
Funding
- Swiss National Science Foundation [31-127374]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In vitro culture systems represent powerful tools for the study of apicomplexan parasites such as Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, Sarcocystis, Neospora, Toxoplasma, Besnoitia, Babesia and Theileria, all with high relevance for farm animals. Proliferative stages of these parasites have been cultured in vitro employing a large variety of cell culture and explant approaches. For some, such as Cryptosporidium and Eimeria, the sexual development has been reproduced in cell cultures, while for others, animal experimentation is required to fulfill the life cycle. In vitro cultures have paved the way to exploit the basic biology of these organisms, and had a major impact on the development of tools for diagnostic purposes. With the aid of in vitro cultivation, studies on host-parasite interactions, on factors involved in innate resistance, stage conversion and differentiation, genetics and transfection technology, vaccine candidates and drug effectiveness could be carried out. The use of transgenic parasites has facilitated high-throughput screening of anti-microbial compounds that are active against the proliferative stages. Here, we review the basic features of cell culture-based in vitro systems for apicomplexan parasites that are relevant for farm animals, and discuss their applications with a focus on drug identification and studies of stage differentiation. (C) 2012 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available