In vitro cultivation and characterization of Leishmania chagasi amastigote-like forms.

For the first time, we have reported the establishment and serial propagation of an axenic culture of Leishmania chagasi amastigote-like forms. Parasites were characterized by microscopic evaluation and by the expression of two stage-specific genes, A2 and Ldccys2 amastigote-specific cysteine protease. The differentiated amastigote-like forms were maintained by serial cultivation.