Time course of PfEMP-1 expression in Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells. Confocal images of thin smears of highly synchronized cultures of the P. falciparum clone ITG are shown. The smears were stained with polyclonal serum MBP-r179 (kindly provided by John C. Reeder and Graham V. Brown), which recognizes PfEMP-1, followed by an anti-mouse-fluorescein conjugated antibody (green). The cells were counterstained with Sin-1 polyclonal serum and anti-mouse Texas Red (red) to define the red cell surface. (a) Ring-stage IRBCs 8 h before the onset of binding. (b) IRBCs 4 h before the onset of binding. (c) IRBCs at the onset of binding. PfEMP-1 is evidently expressed early on and later transported to the surface of the erythrocyte. Ability to cytoadhere coincides with the expression of PfEMP-1 on the surface of the IRBC. Scale bar=7.5 mm (a,b,c). Abbreviations: IRBCs, infected red blood cells; PfEMP-1, P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1. Figures are courtesy of C.D. McAllister and K.C. Kain.

Serghides L, Smith TG, Patel SN, Kain KC. CD36 and malaria: friends or foes? Trends Parasitol. 2003 19(10):461-9.