Intraerythrocytic parasites and red cell deformability: Plasmodium berghei and Babesia microti

In the studies reported here, we examined the effects of two intraerythrocytic parasites (Plasmodium berghei and Babesia microti) on the deformability of their host red cells. Red cell deformability was assessed by three criteria: 1) the prevalence of tank-treading (the tank-tread-like movement of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBlood cells Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 209
Main Authors Krogstad, D J, Sutera, S P, Boylan, C W, Gluzman, I Y, Qian, Z F, Rao, P R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 1991
Subjects
Animals
Babesia - physiology
Cricetinae
Erythrocyte Deformability - physiology
Erythrocytes - parasitology
Mesocricetus
Mice
Plasmodium berghei - physiology
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Summary:In the studies reported here, we examined the effects of two intraerythrocytic parasites (Plasmodium berghei and Babesia microti) on the deformability of their host red cells. Red cell deformability was assessed by three criteria: 1) the prevalence of tank-treading (the tank-tread-like movement of the red cell membrane around its cytoplasmic contents), 2) elongation under fluid shear stress (the steady-state length: width ratio), and 3) the time required for the red cell to reduce its steady-state elongation by 63.2% after the abrupt release of the shear stress (the characteristic shape-recovery time). Trophozoite-stage parasites of both species reduced the prevalence of tank-treading. Ring- and trophozoite-stage parasites of both species reduced steady-state elongation, and ring-stage P. berghei prolonged the shape-recovery time. These results suggest that altered red cell deformability is a common feature of infection with intraerythrocytic parasites.
ISSN:0340-4684