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Malaria and the permeability of the host erythrocyte

Abstract

WHEN an animal is infected with malaria some of the properties of the membrane of its erythrocytes are changed1. The fragility is increased2–5 and the transport of sodium, potassium and amino acids across the membrane is altered6–10. In most cases these alterations have been shown to be present in all erythrocytes from an infected animal and not just those containing parasites, which suggests a general pathological effect rather than a direct action of the parasite on its host cell.

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HOMEWOOD, C., NEAME, K. Malaria and the permeability of the host erythrocyte. Nature 252, 718–719 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/252718a0

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