This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bartlett, M S Articles by Smith, J W Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bartlett, M S Articles by Smith, J W

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1979 December; 10(6): 796-799

Cultivation of Pneumocystis carinii with WI-38 cells.

ABSTRACT

Pneumocystis carinii has been successfully cultured with WI-38 human embryonic lung fibroblasts. Inoculum was obtained from infected lungs of cortisone-treated Sprague-Dawley rats. Trophozoites reached peak numbers between days 4 and 8 and grew in two subcultures, but then proliferation ceased. If primary cultures were harvested and new medium were added, a second and sometimes a third harvest could be obtained. Cell monolayers were not destroyed. After growth of the initial inoculum had ceased, monolayers supported growth of a new inoculum. Harvested organisms had few contaminating tissue culture cells. Additional studies of growth requirements are needed. Although cultures cannot be used to diagnose P. carinii infection, cultured organisms should be useful for studies of biology and pathogenesis and for the development of immunodiagnostic techniques.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Beck, J. M., Preston, A. M., Wagner, J. G., Wilcoxen, S. E., Hossler, P., Meshnick, S. R., Paine, R. III (1998). Interaction of rat Pneumocystis carinii and rat alveolar epithelial cells in vitro. Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 275: L118-L125 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yu, M. L., Limper, A. H. (1997). Pneumocystis carinii induces ICAM-1 expression in lung epithelial cells through a TNF-alpha -mediated mechanism. Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. 273: L1103-L1111 [Abstract] [Full Text]