Abstract
The sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes to the endothelial cells of brain capillaries is believed to represent one of the determining factors in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria. In vitro studies of cytoadherence provide an experimental approach to understand the mechanism of sequestration and the respective roles played by parasite and host components in this interaction. This paper critically reviews current studies on cytoadherence, with particular emphasis on the nature of the information provided by such studies and their limitations. The paper also describes how cytoadherence studies using the patient's own monocytes can provide original information on the level of receptor up-regulation in the course of malarial infection.
malaria; cytoadherence; thrombospondin; ICAM-1; CD36; monocytes; sequestration; cerebral malaria; Plasmodium falciparum
Variation in the cytoadherence characteristics of malaria parasites: is this a true virulence factor?
J. D. Goldring1
M. Hommel1
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Dept. of Trop. Med. and Infectious Diseases, Liverpool, England
The sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes to the endothelial cells of brain capillaries is believed to represent one of the determining factors in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria. In vitro studies of cytoadherence provide an experimental approach to understand the mechanism of sequestration and the respective roles played by parasite and host components in this interaction. This paper critically reviews current studies on cytoadherence, with particular emphasis on the nature of the information provided by such studies and their limitations. The paper also describes how cytoadherence studies using the patient's own monocytes can provide original information on the level of receptor up-regulation in the course of malarial infection.
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Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
04 June 2009 -
Date of issue
1992
