%A Fukutomi Y %A Matsuoka M %A Minagawa F %A Toratani S %A Mccormick G %A Krahenbuhl J %T IL-10 treatment of macrophages bolsters intracellular survival of Mycobacterium leprae %0 Journal Article %D 2004 %J International Journal of Leprosy and other Mycobacterial Diseases %P 0148-916X %V 72 %N 1 %X In these studies, metabolically active Mycobacterium leprae were maintained for as long as 8 weeks in monolayer cultures of mouse peritoneal macrophages (MΦ). Supplemental IL­10, but not TGFβ, bolstered, directly or indirectly, M. leprae metabolism in mouse MΦ. In the cell culture system temperature setting is extremely important and 31 to 33°C incubation temperature was more permissive than 37°C. Acid fast staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of intracellular M. leprae revealed visible elongation of bacilli cultured under the above ideal conditions.