Echinococcus multilocularis primary cells: improved isolation, small-scale cultivation and RNA interference.

In this study we demonstrate RNA interference mediated knock-down of target gene expression in Echinococcus multilocularis primary cells on both the transcriptional and translational level. In addition, we report on an improved method for generating E. multilocularis primary cell mini-aggregates from in vitro cultivated metacestode vesicles, and on the cultivation of small numbers of small interfering RNA-transfected cells in vitro over an extended period of time. This allows assessments on the effects of RNA interference performed on Echinococcus primary cells with regard to growth, proliferation, differentiation of the parasite and the formation of novel metacestode vesicles in vitro. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.