CULTURE OF CELLS FROM 2 LIFE STAGES OF SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI

The ability to culture continuously proliferating cell lines of variou s organisms in vitro has provided numerous advantages in experimental approaches toward the understanding of basic biology and disease. Alth ough in vitro approaches are common in many disciplines, this methodol ogy has proven difficult to exploit in the study of helminthic parasit es. A major cause of parasitic disease, particularly in tropical count ries, is the trematode Schistosoma mansoni. We have developed in vitro techniques that allow the long term maintenance of cell cultures from two stages of the life cycle of this organism, associated with its ma mmalian and the molluscan hosts. We have developed quantitative assays of cell survival and proliferation in our culture systems, and obtain ed evidence for limited proliferation in vitro. Although the cultures we have achieved thus far are useful for many kinds of experiments in vitro, development of continuously proliferating cell lines remains ou r goal.