(IMAGE)

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University

Caption

Malaria-infected red blood cells (RBC) express the pathogen protein PfEMP1 (yellow) on their surface. IgM (violet) and PfEMP1 form a bouquet that makes the cell more infectious and more prone to attract other still-uninfected red blood cells. Moreover, the other immune system proteins (such as the complement, C1q, pink) are not able to be recruited and kill the infected cell.

Credit

Akhouri RR et al, Cell Reports

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