Long-term cultured human vascular endothelial cells (EC-FP5) bind Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes

We have established an endothelial cell line, EC-FP5, that binds Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes after several passages in culture and multiple cryopreservations. Binding by the EC-FP5 cells, measured as the percentage that bound infected erythrocytes and the average number of infected erythrocytes bound per endothelial cell, was similar in cells cryopreserved 1, 2, or 3 times. The parasite strain of the infected erythrocytes and culture conditions, including parasitemia and pH of the erythrocyte suspension, significantly affected binding. The capability of the EC-FP5 cells to be cultured in large amounts and cryopreserved in several aliquots will provide flexibility, reduce experimental variation, and enhance the utility of the endothelial cell-dependent cytoadherence assay.