The complex morphology of Maurer's clefts: from discovery to three-dimensional reconstructions.
Over 100 years ago, Georg Maurer wrote one of the finest scientific accounts of what is now known as Maurer's dots, or clefts, describing the intracellular changes in red blood cells infected with Plasmodium falciparum. Maurer's clefts have since attracted much attention, and they form an intriguing aspect of parasite biology that may hold the key to the mechanisms by which the intracellular parasite alters red blood cell properties, leading to host pathogenesis and death. This review will focus on the description of the morphology of these clefts, from the first light-microscopic report up to recent three-dimensional reconstructions. Detailed knowledge of these structures should further our understanding of their functions.
Wickert
Hannes
H
Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 2061 Cornell Road, 4th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. hannes.wickert@case.edu
Krohne
Georg
G
D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000469:parasitology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000166:cytology*