Exoerythrocytic merozoites of Plasmodium berghei in rat hepatic Kupffer cells.
Liver biopsies of white rates infected by Plasmodium berghei sporozoites were examined by electron microscopy. Intrahepatocytic schizont development was confirmed. In addition, at 60 and 70 h after sporozoite inoculation, exoerythrocytic merozoites were noted in Kupffer cells of liver sinusoids. Although it is theoretically possible that this observation may be of merozoite development in Kupffer cells, the authors suspect that this example of phagocytosis would be one of the host's natural defenses against sporozoite-transmitted malaria.
D000818:Animals; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000469:parasitology*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000469:parasitology*; D009940:Organoids / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats