[Morphological characteristics of Plasmodium yoelii schizonts in ghost erythrocytes].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the morphological characteristics of Plasmodium yoelii schizogony in their ghost erythrocytes.


METHODS
Saponify, hypotonic shock, and electron microscopy were used to observe the different fashions of erythrocytic parasites and their characteristic organellae in ghost erythrocytes.


RESULTS
The malarial parasites and their fine structures were dramatically well preserved in the ghost erythrocytes, such as the ring-like early trophozoites, the brassiere-like early schizonts, the emerging buds on the surface of late schizonts, and the grape-cluster like late schizonts. The cytostome, food vacuole, and crystallized malarial pigments were found in the early trophozoites. The proliferations of nucleoplasma and nuclear membrane as well as and the clot-like nuclear division were followed by the budding during the schizogony.


CONCLUSIONS
The saponify technique that makes the erythrocytic malaria parasites and their fine organellae to be dramatically revealed in their ghost erythrocytes, may be a useful method in the Plasmodium biological research and anti-malaria immunological researches.
Mao
Ying-hong
YH
Department of Etiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100005, China. yamo0518@hotmail.com
Xu
Bei
B
Liu
Bao-feng
BF
D000818:Animals; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010967:Plasmodium yoelii / Q000648:ultrastructure*