Release of merozoite dense granules during erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium knowlesi.
We used immunoelectron microscopy to study the fate of dense granules during the invasion of erythrocytes by Plasmodium knowlesi merozoites. When merozoites entered host cells, dense granules moved to the pellicle, released their contents into the parasitophorous vacuole space, and then moved into fingerlike channels of the vacuole membrane. This is the first report showing that the content of dense granules of P. knowlesi is different from the contents of rhoptries and micronemes and is associated with the formation of channels from the parasitophorous vacuole.
Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
M
M
Torii
J H
JH
Adams
L H
LH
Miller
M
M
Aikawa
D000818:Animals; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000469:parasitology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure*