Fig. 1.

Pathways of erythrocyte invasion. Plasmodium falciparum uses protein and polysaccharide epitopes to engage erythrocytes using a multi-protein invasion complex (reviewed in Ref. [34]). Enzyme treatments modify erythrocytes to accentuate specific generalized pathways by limiting or eliminating access to epitopes that are sensitive to treatment. The pathway denoted by receptor ‘x’ represents erythrocyte invasion that is accentuated by neuraminidase pre-treatment of erythrocytes. The pathway denoted by GYPB and receptor y is accentuated by trypsin or chymotrypsin pre-treatment of erythrocytes. Yellow circles and blue triangles indicate polypeptide epitopes and polysaccharide epitopes, respectively. Abbreviations: EBA, erythrocyte-binding antigen; GYP, glycophorin.