Plasmodium falciparum maturation abolishes physiologic red cell deformability.

Normal red cells deform markedly as they pass through the spleen and the peripheral capillaries. In these studies, the effects of Plasmodium falciparum infection and maturation on the deformability of parasitized red cells exposed to fluid shear stress in vitro were examined by means of a rheoscope. Red cells containing the early (ring) erythrocytic stage of the parasite have impaired deformability at physiologic shear stresses, and recover their normal shape more slowly. Red cells containing more mature parasites (trophozoites or schizonts) exhibit no deformation under the same conditions. These results provide a mechanism to explain the ability of the spleen to remove parasitized red cells from the circulation of both immune and nonimmune hosts.

[1]  H. Ginsburg,et al.  New permeability pathways induced in membranes of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes. , 1983, Molecular and biochemical parasitology.

[2]  S Chien,et al.  Theoretical and experimental studies on viscoelastic properties of erythrocyte membrane. , 1978, Biophysical journal.

[3]  M. Stöhr,et al.  Selective alteration of erythrocyte deformabiliby by SH-reagents: evidence for an involvement of spectrin in membrane shear elasticity. , 1978, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[4]  N. Mohandas,et al.  Analysis of factors regulating erythrocyte deformability. , 1980, The Journal of clinical investigation.

[5]  S. Usami,et al.  Alteration in the rheologic properties of Plasmodium knowlesi--infected red cells. A possible mechanism for capillary obstruction. , 1971, The Journal of clinical investigation.

[6]  H. Meiselman,et al.  Geometric, osmotic, and membrane mechanical properties of density-separated human red cells. , 1982, Blood.

[7]  P. Nguyen-Dinh,et al.  Plasmodium falciparum: stage-specific lactate production in synchronized cultures. , 1982, Experimental parasitology.

[8]  L. Miller,et al.  Falciparum malaria-infected erythrocytes specifically bind to cultured human endothelial cells. , 1981, Science.

[9]  T. Quinn,et al.  Intravascular clearance of parasitized erythrocytes in rodent malaria. , 1979, The Journal of clinical investigation.

[10]  P. Gaehtgens,et al.  Motion, deformation, and interaction of blood cells and plasma during flow through narrow capillary tubes. , 1980, Blood cells.

[11]  N. Mohandas,et al.  Relationship of post‐transfusion viability to deformability of stored red cells , 1983, British journal of haematology.

[12]  W. Trager,et al.  Plasmodium falciparum: microaerophilic requirements in human red blood cells. , 1979, Experimental parasitology.

[13]  W. Trager,et al.  Human malaria parasites in continuous culture. , 1976, Science.

[14]  R. Hochmuth,et al.  Red cell extensional recovery and the determination of membrane viscosity. , 1979, Biophysical journal.

[15]  T. Quinn,et al.  Relationship of alterations in splenic clearance function and microcirculation to host defense in acute rodent malaria. , 1981, The Journal of clinical investigation.

[16]  T. Sodeman,et al.  Pitting Function of the Spleen in Malaria: Ultrastructural Observations , 1972, Science.

[17]  R Skalak,et al.  A two-dimensional model for capillary flow of an asymmetric cell. , 1982, Microvascular research.

[18]  S. Usami,et al.  Decreased deformability of Plasmodium coatneyi-infected red cells and its possible relation to cerebral malaria. , 1972, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[19]  H. Ginsburg,et al.  Permselectivity changes in malaria (Plasmodium falciparum) infected human red blood cell membranes , 1983, Journal of cellular physiology.

[20]  J. Jensen.  Concentration from continuous culture of erythrocytes infected with trophozoites and schizonts of Plasmodium falciparum. , 1978, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[21]  C. Lambros,et al.  Synchronization of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic stages in culture. , 1979, The Journal of parasitology.

[22]  C. Pfafferott,et al.  Morphologic and internal viscosity aspects of RBC rheologic behavior. , 1982, Blood cells.

[23]  H Schmid-Schönbein,et al.  The red cell as a fluid droplet: tank tread-like motion of the human erythrocyte membrane in shear flow. , 1978, Science.