Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene · 1980 · 77 citations · 2 references
Life SciencesBiologyMicrobiologyMicrobial EcologyParasitologyProtozoologyFree-living Stages Of ParasitesParasite MorphologyParasitic ProtozoaProtozoan Host-parasite InteractionsAxenic Culture EstablishmentAxenic Culture MaintenanceGeneration Time AnalysisParasitic Infection DynamicsSurface Area
A strain of Giardia lamblia was gradually adapted to grow in Diamond's TPS-1 medium. The parasites grew luxuriantly and formed a monolayer on the surface of the culture vessels. When G. lamblia was inoculated into fresh medium, the population of the parasites grew from 22,000 cells/ml to peak numbers of 2.1 X 10(6)/ml in six days with a generation time of 12.2 hours at 37 degrees C. After a few days of incubation a sediment could be seen at the bottom of the tubes which contained a multitude of free-swimming Giardia as well as clumps of them. The sediment sometimes also contained many rings of Giardia. The rings were usually associated with dead Giardia cells containing a large bubble. Two, three and sometimes as many as six Giardia were seen surrounding the bubble. The bubble probably provides additional surface area to which the Giardia may attach.
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