Objective   To study the effects of the liver matrix(bio-matrix from the liver of a rabbit)or/and β-M ercaptoethanol (β-Me)on the cultured cells from Schistosoma japonicum.

  Methods   After schistosomula cells from 18-day old S. japonicum were prepared by a method of cold digestion, they were inoculated with the method of combination on general glass coverslips or the glass coverslips smeared with the liver matrix. The former was divided in to control andβ-Me groups, the later was liver matrix and combination(of β-Me and liver matrix)groups randomly. The cells in the control and liver matrix groups were cultured in the routine media, i.e., medium RPMI-1640 containing 20% calf serum and a moderate amount of antibiotics(penicillin G 100 iu/ml, streptomycin 100 μg/ml), while those in β-Me and combination groups were cultured in the routine media containing 50 μmol/L β-Me and l mmol/L sodium pyruvate. When cultured for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks, the cells were stained to show the activities of lactatedehydrogenase(LDH) by using the cytochemical method of enzyme, respectively. They were observed and photographed by the microscope(Olympus-BH₂). The activities of LDH were measured by using the photomete-rimage analytical instrument(HPIA-2000)and analyzed statistically.

  Results   The activities of LDH were the strongest in the cells from S. japonicumcultured for 1 week. Along with prolongation of the culture time, the activities of LDH became weaker gradually. In the first two weeks, the activities of LDH in the cells in β-Me group were similar to those in the combination group, and the group of the liver matrix similar to the control but weaker than the above groups. Quantitative analysis showed that the difference of LDH concentration in the cultured cells between β-Me, combination groups and the liver matrix, control groups was significant(P < 0.05). Three weeks later, the activities of LDH in the ceils of the liver matrix group were stronger than those in β-Me, combination and control groups, and the difference was significant(P < 0.05). However, no significant difference among the latter 3 groups were observe(P > 0.05).

  Conclusion   The effects of the liver matrix on the activities of LDH in the cultured cells from S. japonicum were probably more effective and steady-going than those of β-Me. The enhanced effects of the liver matrix plus β-Me on the cultured cells was not observed in the study.