Hepatic phase of malaria: a crucial role as "go-between" with other stages

Besides potential interest in itself, the hepatic stage of malaria might play a crucial role as "go-between" with other stages. When present in the parasitophorous vacuole, antibodies induced by both sporozoite and erythrocytic stages efficiently disturb hepatic development of the parasite. Likewise previous and ensuing erythrocytic stages can modulate the "shielded" phase by cytokines, directly or as a result of a cascade of events, and by MHC-restricted or antibody-dependent cytotoxic mechanisms.