The relationship between the apicoplast and the mitochondrion throughout the intraerythrocytic cycle. The apicoplast remains round- or ovoid-shaped from the merozoite stage (A) into ring (B) and trophozoite stages (C), whereas the mitochondrion appears as a rod-shaped organelle (A–C). By early schizogony, the mitochondrion is predominantly branched and the apicoplast elongated (D–F). The second panel from the right in D shows a single optical section of the merged image, showing a single point of contact between the two organelles (arrow). Such points of connection are also apparent in E (two points of contact; arrows) and F (two points of contact: arrows). The mitochondrion frequently associates with the plasma membrane (arrows in E, right panel). Citrate synthase (CS) is a mitochondrial marker. Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is an apicoplast marker.

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