The malaria bouquet

Malaria-infected red blood cells (RBC) express the pathogen protein PfEMP1 (yellow) on their surface. IgM (violet) and PfEMP1 form a bouquet that makes the cell more infectious and more prone to attract other still-uninfected red blood cells. Moreover, the other immune system proteins (such as the complement, C1q, pink) are not able to be recruited and kill the infected cell. 

Malaria-infected red blood cells (RBC) express the pathogen protein PfEMP1 (yellow) on their surface. IgM (violet) and PfEMP1 form a bouquet that makes the cell more infectious and more prone to attract other still-uninfected red blood cells. Moreover, the other immune system proteins (such as the complement, C1q, pink) are not able to be recruited and kill the infected cell. 

Date:
13 January 2016
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