Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 2, 2025
10:38
High Yield Purification of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites For Use in Opsonizing Antibody Assays
Published on: July 17, 2014
23.4K
Isolation of GFP-expressing Malarial Hypnozoites by Flow Cytometry Cell Sorting
Annemarie Voorberg-van der Wel1, Sam O Hofman1, Clemens H M Kocken1
1Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands.
Bio-Protocol
|June 14, 2021
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to isolate dormant malaria hypnozoites using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). This breakthrough allows for detailed study of these elusive parasites, crucial for malaria elimination efforts.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Infectious Diseases
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Relapsing malarial species, like Plasmodium vivax, harbor dormant liver-stage parasites called hypnozoites.
- Hypnozoites are a significant obstacle to malaria elimination due to their cryptic nature and limited understanding.
- Current in vitro cultures yield mixed cell populations, hindering specific hypnozoite research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for isolating pure malarial hypnozoites.
- To enable detailed molecular and biological studies of the hypnozoite stage.
- To overcome the limitations of current in vitro culture systems.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a GFP-expressing line of the model parasite Plasmodium cynomolgi.
- Developed and implemented a fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) protocol.
- Isolated purified hypnozoites from mixed cell cultures.
Main Results:
- Successfully established a FACS-based protocol for hypnozoite isolation.
- Obtained purified populations of malarial hypnozoites.
- Demonstrated the utility of purified hypnozoites for downstream '-omics' analyses.
Conclusions:
- FACS-based isolation provides a powerful tool for studying malarial hypnozoites.
- This method facilitates research into the biology of this critical, yet poorly understood, malaria stage.
- The purified hypnozoites can advance our understanding of malaria relapse and inform elimination strategies.
