Effect of cholesterol depletion on parasite ultrastructure and trafficking of PfEMP1 in control and transfected parasites. (A) Early ring stage (~10 h) strain A4 parasites were mock treated (left panel) or treated with 5 mM (middle panel) or 10 mM (right panel) MBCD (methyl-b-cyclodextrin – depletes cholesterol land returned to culture for 20 h in serum-containing medium. The trophozoite stage samples were prepared for transmission EM analysis. Maurer’s clefts are indicated with arrows; knobs are indicated with arrowheads. Bar, 2 mm.

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