Trophozoite stage IRBC were processed for immunogold labeling and probed with a rat anti-PfEMP-3 IgG followed by a goat anti-rat IgG coupled to 10 nm gold. PfEMP-3 was distributed on electron-dense vesicles which appear to fuse with the parasite plasma membrane (A, large arrow), on the cytoplasmic leaflet of electron-dense vesicles within the erythrocyte cytosol (E) (B, arrowhead), as well as on the knob structures (K) on the erythrocyte plasma membrane (RBCM) (C, arrowhead). K, knob; RBCM, erythrocyte plasma membrane; E, erythrocyte cytosol; PPM, parasite plasma membrane; PVM, parasite vacuolar membrane. Scale bar100 nm.

Trelka DP, Schneider TG, Reeder JC, Taraschi TF. Evidence for vesicle-mediated trafficking of parasite proteins to the host cell cytosol and erythrocyte surface membrane in Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2000 106:131-45. Copyright Elsevier 2009.