Abstract
This chapter discusses the parasiticidal activity of macrophages against Toxoplasma. Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is a coccidian parasite capable of invading virtually every cell in the body. Their ability to grow and multiply within cells, particularly macrophages, has provided an excellent model to assess the role cell-mediated immunity plays in the development of a protective response against this organism and the contribution of phagocytic cells, especially macrophages, as effectors of this resistance. Various methods have been employed to examine the destruction of T. gondii within macrophages, such as the visual observation of the inhibition of multiplication or destruction of Toxoplasma , the uptake of nucleic acid precursors by multiplying Toxoplasma over and above that is incorporated by the cell in which the organism is growing, and the determination of the number of parasites released from host cells by plaqueing techniques. The highly virulent RH strain of Toxoplasma is most commonly used to assess the inhibition of growth and killing of this organism by macrophages. The RH strain of Toxoplasma can be maintained in tissue culture or by serial intraperitoneal passage in mice. The microscopic observation of intracellular T. gondii allows a direct visualization of the organism.
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