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. 1981 Sep;78(9):5829–5832. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.9.5829

Ovalocytic erythrocytes from Melanesians are resistant to invasion by malaria parasites in culture.

C Kidson, G Lamont, A Saul, G T Nurse
PMCID: PMC348877  PMID: 7029547

Abstract

Ovalocytic erythrocytes from Melanesians in Papua New Guinea have been demonstrated to be resistant to infection by malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum) in culture by using a double-label fluorescence assay of merozoite invasion. That merozoites do not bind irreversibly to ovalocytes has been demonstrated by an assay that measures competition between ovalocytes and normocytes. Analysis of behavior on thermal deformation has demonstrated that ovalocytes are more more thermostable than normocytes, suggesting that there is a major difference in cytoskeletal structure. These findings with P. falciparum and epidemiological data demonstrating clinical resistance to P. vivax and P. malariae suggest that the membrane alterations(s) in these ovalocytes affect(s) invasion step(s) common to all three species of malaria parasite.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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