Plasmodium Vacuole (VIDEO)

Duke University

Caption

Before invading the bloodstream, the malaria-causing Plasmodium parasite (small blue blobs) hides inside small pouches within its host's liver cells and rapidly reproduces. In a new study, Duke University researchers found that liver-stage Plasmodium tricks cells into producing a protein called aquaporin-3 (red) and then steals the protein for its own use. Inhibiting aquaporin-3 may provide a new way to fight the proliferation of the Plasmodium parasite and prevent malaria before symptoms start.

Credit

Dora Posfai, Duke University

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