Culture of microsporidia from invertebrates in vertebrate cells

Abstract

Nosema algerae and N. eurytremae were successfully cultured in embryonic rat brain, Xenopus XTC-6 and Chang liver cells, and in embryonic rat brain and XTC-6 cells respectively. No parasites grew in cultures incubated at 38 °C but development took place in cells incubated at 34 °C and 27 °C. Increased levels of infections of the cultured cells were achieved by centrifugation of the spores on to the cells. The level of infection was also related to the type of medium used for hatching the spores, modifies NMRI giving better results than Leibowitz L15, and to the interval between adding the spores to the cell cultures and centrifugation.