Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 18, 2026

A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting
07:27

A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting

Published on: May 16, 2013

Merozoites of P. falciparum require glycophorin for invasion into red cells

C A Facer

    Bulletin De La Societe De Pathologie Exotique Et De Ses Filiales
    |November 1, 1983
    PubMed

    Insights

    Red blood cell surface proteins, specifically glycophorins A, B, and C, are crucial for Plasmodium falciparum invasion. Specific sugar residues on these proteins mediate merozoite attachment, suggesting a lectin-like interaction.

    Area of Science:

    • Molecular parasitology
    • Hematology
    • Infectious diseases

    Background:

    • Plasmodium falciparum merozoites invade human erythrocytes.
    • Red blood cell surface glycoproteins are implicated in this invasion process.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To assess the role of red cell membrane sialoglycoproteins in P. falciparum merozoite invasion.
    • To identify specific erythrocyte determinants involved in parasite attachment.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized human erythrocytes deficient in specific glycophorins (En(a-) and S-s-U-).
    • Treated normal erythrocytes with proteases (trypsin and chymotrypsin).
    • Conducted specific sugar and antibody inhibition studies.

    Main Results:

    • Erythrocytes lacking glycophorin A or B exhibited significant resistance to merozoite invasion.
    • Protease treatment of erythrocytes reduced parasite invasion rates.
    • N-acetyl glucosamine and N-acetyl galactosamine on glycophorins were identified as key determinants for merozoite attachment.

    Conclusions:

    • Glycophorins A, B, and C are essential for P. falciparum invasion into human red blood cells.
    • Specific sugar moieties on erythrocyte glycophorins act as binding sites for merozoites.
    • This interaction suggests a lectin-mediated mechanism involving merozoite surface proteins.

    More Related Videos

    In Vivo Assessment of Rodent Plasmodium Parasitemia and Merozoite Invasion by Flow Cytometry07:16

    In Vivo Assessment of Rodent Plasmodium Parasitemia and Merozoite Invasion by Flow Cytometry

    Published on: April 5, 2015

    Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography07:00

    Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography

    Published on: August 5, 2021

    Related Concept Videos

    Symbiosis00:58

    Symbiosis

    Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
    Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

    Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

    Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
    Diversity of Protists II01:27

    Diversity of Protists II

    Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
    Leishmaniasis01:30

    Leishmaniasis

    Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
    Malaria01:29

    Malaria

    Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
    Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

    Antiprotozoal Agents

    Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...