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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection
Published on: September 14, 2019
[In vitro cultivation model of Cryptosporidium parvum in MDCK cells and its development]
1College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
Objective:
To develop an in vitro culture system for Cryptosporidium parvum in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell and observe its life cycle (from desquamate to oocyst).
Methods:
Oocysts of C. parvum were co-cultured with MDCK cells in vitro. Culture condition was optimized and the life cycle of C.parvum investigated.
Results:
The optimal culture conditions for C. parvum in MDCK cells were 2.0 x 10(5) cells cultured for 12 h, and infected by 1.0 x 10(5) oocysts in the Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium with 5% FBS. Following 72 h co-culture, desquamate, sporozoites, trophozoites, meronts, microgametocytes, macrogametocytes, zygote, thin-wall oocyst, and thick-wall oocyst appeared orderly. Between the 60th and 72nd hour, many oocysts emerged. Inoculated by the C. parvum-infected cell culture supernatant at the 48th hour, the immunosuppressed mice became infected.
Conclusion:
The culture system provides a model for propagation of the parasites and demonstrates a complete in vitro life cycle of C. parvum.
