Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy of blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum reveals precise localization of tight junction proteins during invasion

Abstract

Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by the Apicomplexan parasite from the Plasmodium genus transmitted to humans by the Anopheles mosquito. In 2022, malaria was responsible for 608,000 deaths, with 97% linked to the most lethal species, Plasmodium falciparum [1]. The invasion of red blood cells (RBCs) by parasites is a key contributor to the clinical manifestations of malaria and the proliferation of the parasite, making it a promising target for vaccine/drug development. This process entails the lysis of infected RBCs by mature parasites (schizonts), resulting in the release of daughter parasites (merozoites) that subsequently invade new RBCs. Merozoite invasion of RBCs ..