Fig. 8.

The proposed mechanism of haemozoin formation in vivo. Free haem (a) released as a result of haemoglobin degradation accumulates at the interface of the neutral lipid body within the digestive food vacuole of P. falciparum (b). Nucleation occurs at the interface and elongation of the crystal extends along the interface (c) until curvature of the lipid body prevents further elongation of the crystal (d). The hydrophobic nature of the mature crystal (e) favours its transport into the lipid interior leading to a stack of aligned crystals.