Abstract: AIM:To establish a cell line of Echinococcus granulosus. METHODS:The proliferating
membranes striped from liver cysts in a naturally infected sheep from Urumq were released to
monodispersed germinal cells by grinding. The germinal cells were cultivated in the RPMI 1640
medium supplemented with 10%—20% calf serum on collagen coated 24 well culture plate
alternately from passage 1 to passage 14,and then continued. The morphological feature and
growth situation were observed by light microscopy. The cultured cells were inoculated into BALB/c mice to identify the infectivity . ELISA was used to determine the immunogenicity of the cells . RESULTS: The germinal cells have been cultivated continuously up to passage 75. The subcultured cells were circular in shape with smooth surface and had the tendency to form syncytia and tissue-like masses. The cells from this cell line could be stored for at least 15 days in refrigerator at 4℃ and 10 months in liquid nitrogen. No cystmaterials were detected in the mice inoculated with cells. The antigens from cell line could react with positive sera from mice infected with protoscoleces and sera against secreted antigens of cystmembrane , soLuble antigens from cystmembrane, soluble antigens from protoscoleces and SHF. CONCLUSION: A germinal cell line of Echinococcus granulosus was successfully established.

Key words: Echinococcus granulosus, germinal cell, cell culture, continuous cell line