In vitro isolation of Plasmodium knowlesi merozoites using polycarbonate sieves.

A culture chamber fitted with a polycarbonate sieve has been used to isolate Plasmodium knowlesi merozoites as they are released from schizonts. A 3 mum pore-size sieve allows passage of normal erythrocytes and red cells containing rings and trophozoites and can be used to concentrate schizonts from a mixed cell population. A 2 mum pore-size sieve retains normal and parasitized cells and provides uncontaminated merozoites in high yield (5 x 10(10) merozoites per ml schizonts). Merozoite viability diminishes rapidly during 30 min after isolation. These preparations should prove valuable for studies of the biochemical, physiological and antigenic properties of this transient phase of the malaria parasite.