Malaria parasite development
The malaria parasite life cycle constitutes one of the most complicated and fascinating life cycles of any organism and thus poses intriguing areas of study for cell biology, molecular biology, and immunology alike. Malaria as a disease is devastating developing countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, causing approximately one million deaths each year, which are mainly attributable to a single parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum. The intricacy of malaria parasite biology has vexed vaccinologists and immunologists for nearly a century and is a major impediment to the development of a fully protective vaccine. A major part of the complexity associated with the malaria parasite life cycle is due to the parasite’s ability to change its cellular and molecular makeup, which is controlled by a genome with more than 5000 recognized genes, and develop in intracellular and extracellular niches in the mammalian host and the mosquito vector.
Plasmodium sporozoites are the product of a complex developmental process in the mosquito vector and are destined to infect the mammalian liver. Attention has been drawn to the mosquito stages and pre-erythrocytic stages owing to recognition that these are bottlenecks in the parasite life cycle and that intervention at these stages can block transmission and prevent infection. Parasite progression in the Anopheles mosquito, sporozoite transmission to the mammalian host by mosquito bite, and subsequent infection of the liver are characterized by extensive migration of invasive stages, cell invasion, and developmental changes. Preparation for the liver phase in the mammalian host begins in the mosquito with an extensive reprogramming of the sporozoite to support efficient infection and survival. This review discusses what is known about the molecular and cellular basis of the developmental progression of parasites and their interactions with host tissues in the mosquito and during the early phase of mammalian infection.
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Tags: Biology, Health, Malaria, Medicine, Microbiology, Parasitology, Science
