Peptones and calf serum as a replacement for human serum in the cultivation of Plasmodium falciparum.

Attempts were made to find an inexpensive, readily available substitute for human serum requirement for the continuous culture of erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum. We found that Neopeptone or Proteose-Peptone No. 3 added together with calf serum gave parasite growth rates comparable to, or surpassing, those obtained with human serum. However, first it was necessary to adapt the parasites by a gradual, stepwise reduction in the amount of human serum used, and a concomitant, stepwise increase in the substitutes added.