IN-VITRO CULTURE OF TAENIA-CRASSICEPS LARVAL CELLS AND CYST REGENERATION AFTER INJECTION INTO MICE

Taenia crassiceps cysticerci were disrupted through trypsinization to isolate cells which can be maintained in culture for up to 15 days. Wh en injected intraperitoneally into susceptible BALB/cAnN mice, complet e cysticerci were recovered in a number that is proportional to the qu antity of injected cells. Thus, cysticerci contain cells which can rec onstitute complete cysts, suggesting that individual cells play a role , independent to budding, during asexual multiplication of T. crassice ps cysticerci in the peritoneal cavity of mice. In contrast, injection of the cells into resistant C57BL/6J mice does not result in the reco very of complete cysts. These findings provide a new experimental mode l to identify resistance factors in the hosts, for the in vitro screen ing of anti-cysticerci drugs and for the genetic manipulation of cysti cerci through recombinant DNA techniques.