Biomaterial Database

Restoration of virulence of axenically-cultivated Entamoeba histolytica by cholesterol. 1978

E Meerovitch, and E Ghadirian

The lost pathogenicity of two strains of Entamoeba histolytica, one isolated in 1924 and the other in 1967, grown in axenic culture for the past five and six years respectively, was restored by supplementing the culture medium with cholesterol through a number of transfers. The number of passages in the cholesterol supplemented medium, necessary to restore a certain degree of pathogenicity of the two strains in hamsters, was proportional to the total time of in vitro cultivation of the strain, and not just the time of cultivation under axenic conditions. Pathogenicity, once restored, persisted for a long time after cholesterol treatment was stopped.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D003470	Culture Media	Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN.	Media, Culture
D004748	Entamoeba histolytica	A species of parasitic protozoa causing ENTAMOEBIASIS and amebic dysentery (DYSENTERY, AMEBIC). Characteristics include a single nucleus containing a small central karyosome and peripheral chromatin that is finely and regularly beaded.	Endamoeba histolytica,histolytica, Endamoeba
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014774	Virulence	The degree of pathogenicity within a group or species of microorganisms or viruses as indicated by case fatality rates and/or the ability of the organism to invade the tissues of the host. The pathogenic capacity of an organism is determined by its VIRULENCE FACTORS.	Pathogenicity