Figure 1. Proposed representation of hemozoin formation within the intraerythrocytic life cycle of Plasmodium falciparum.

Host hemoglobin is taken up by the parasite and transported to the digestive vacuole through the cytostome. In this acidic organelle the hemoglobin is digested into small peptides and four toxic heme units (ferriprotoporphyrin IX). Neutral lipid bodies mediate the detoxification of the heme byproduct through the formation of hemozoin.