Laboratory techniques to obtain different forms of Trypanosoma cruzi: applications to wild-type and genetically modified parasites

CAMARA, MARIA DE LOS MILAGROS; BOUVIER, LEON; MIRANDA, MARIANA; REIGADA, CHANTAL; PEREIRA, CA

FOLIA PARASITOLOGICA

FOLIA PARASITOLOGICA

Año: 2013 vol. 60 p. 406 - 410

0015-5683

Nowadays, there are no simple techniques for mimicking in vitro the life cycle ofthe kinetoplasmid Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas 1909), causative agent of Chagas disease,especially for those parasite strains maintained as epimastigotes for many years. In the presentwork, we propose a method for obtaining metacyclic trypomastigotes, which were capable ofinfecting mammalian cells, by simply lowering pH media. The collected amastigotes andtrypomastigotes were differentiated into epimastigotes closing T. cruzi life cycle in vitro.Metacyclogenesis rates and infectivity were enhanced in cycled parasites. Finally, using thismethod, we were able to infect cells with transgenic parasites obtaining trypomastigotes andamastigotes using a neomycin resistant cell line.