Table 1.

Summary of some biological features between the human malaria species P. vivax and P. falciparum, and the monkey model P. cynomolgi.

	P. vivax	P. cynomolgi	P. falciparum
RBC preference	Reticulocytes	Reticulocytes	Reticulocytes, normocytes
Invasion receptor	DARC*	DARC	Multiple
Dormant liver phase	Yes	Yes	No
Gametocyte production	Early	Early	Late
Chromosome isochores	Yes	Yes	No
Caveola-vesicle complexes	Yes	Yes	No
Sequestration	No?	No?	Yes
Gametocyte shape	Round	Round	Crescent

NOTE: DARC*: P. vivax can invade both Duffy⁺ and Duffy⁻ erythrocytes in certain areas of the world.^27–33 An isochore is a region of a genome that displays a nucleotide bias, for example extreme A–T composition. Caveola-vesicle complexes are flask-shaped indentations with vesicles in the parasite-infected erythrocyte membrane. Their function may be related to nutrient transport.