Apicoplast division precedes mitochondrial division during schizogony. Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is an apicoplast marker. By mid-schizont stage, the majority of mitochondria are branched and the apicoplast also branches (A). Occasionally apicoplast branches appear to associate with mitochondrial branches (A arrows). The branched apicoplast always divides before the mitochondrion (B–D). Each segregated apicoplast closely associates with a branch of the mitochondrion (B–D). Fourth panel from the left in B shows a close-up of the boxed area in the third panel. Rarely, we observe apicoplasts not associated with a mitochondrial branch (arrow in C). The mitochondrion remains branched until apparently quite late in schizogony. Upon division, each mitochondrion associates with a divided apicoplast, and this organellar pair segregates into a single daughter merozoite. Arrow in E shows a mitochondrion associated with two apicoplasts. Presumably, this mitochondrion is still in the process of division.

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