Simultaneous preparation of merozoites and concentrated schizonts of Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract

A technique is described for a simultaneous preparation of merozoites and concentrated schizonts. The merozoites were harvested after high speed centrifugation of either the supernatant of the low speed centrifugation of the Plasmodium culture or the portion floated in physiogel. The concentrated schizonts were prepared by physiogel floatation technique followed by differential centrifugation in 50 % percoll. An average of 56 % of parasitized red cells were obtained, of which 64 % were schizonts. Concentration of trophozoites and schizonts was 9.5 fold.