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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Selection of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites for Cytoadhesion to Human Brain Endothelial Cells
Published on: January 3, 2012
Heparan sulphate identified on human erythrocytes: a Plasmodium falciparum receptor
Anna M Vogt1, Gerhard Winter, Mats Wahlgren
1Microbiology and Tumorbiology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Box 280, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Anna.Vogt@mtc.ki.se
Abstract:
HS (heparan sulphate) has hitherto not been found on human red blood cells (RBCs, erythrocytes). However, malarial-parasite (Plasmodium falciparum)-infected RBCs adhere to uninfected RBCs via HS-like receptors. In the present paper we demonstrate that human RBCs carry epitopes for an anti-HS antibody. Glycans isolated from RBC membranes reacted to HS-specific degradations and adhered to an HS-binding malaria antigen. Additionally, an HS core protein was identified. This suggests that HS is present on human RBCs.
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