A rapid microcentrifuge procedure for purification of Cryptosporidium sporozoites

Abstract

A Percoll ® centrifugation procedure is described that separates sporozoites of Cryptosporidium parvum from intact and empty oocysts in just 3 min. A mixture of newly excysted sporozoites, intact and empty oocysts, are resuspended in a Percoll ® solution with a specific gravity of 1.04. The mixture is centrifuged in 1.5 ml tubes in a microfuge at 5,000 x g for 3 min. The pellet contains intact oocysts, empty oocysts float atop of Percoll ®, and sporozoites layer out in a buffy coat immediately above the pellet.