Trypanosoma brucei: a quick method for separating blood-stream trypomastigotes from infected blood by differential osmotic lysis

Abstract

1. The degree of rat erythrocyte lysis and immobilization of Trypanosoma brucei in infected blood by buffered hypotonic solutions of sodium chloride and sources was studied. 2. At 0.3% sodium chloride solution 98% hemolysis of erythrocytes was achieved while 95% of the original bloodstream trypomastigotes survived and were found to be motile and viable for biochemical study. 3. Further increase in the concentration of sodium chloride above 0.3% revealed an increase in the immobilization of trypanosomes and a decrease in the erythrocyte hemolysis. 4. Bloodstream trypomastigotes have been prepared by differential osmotic lysis of infected blood in 0.3% sodium chloride solution and used for studying their metabolism.