Figure 2.

Establishment of the haematocrit to obtain the highest invasion rate after magnetic columns purification. Plasmodium falciparum iRBCs isolated with magnetic column were adjusted to 10% parasitaemia at different haematocrits (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1 and 2). Plasmodium falciparum cultures were harvested after 18 and 42 hours to determine the parasitaemia reached in each condition. A. Giemsa-staining smears from cultures purified by magnetic purification and allowed to reinvade new uRBCs. B. Parasitaemia achieved at different haematocrits tested, estimated from blood smears (n = 3). C. Invasion rate calculated accounting the parasitaemia obtained after 18 hours (final parasitaemia) and the initial parasitaemia of the P. falciparum culture (10%) (final parasitaemia/initial parasitaemia). This rate indicates the capability of the parasites to invade new RBCs.