Fig. 1: Impact of hemocyte depletion on P. falciparum infection.

a P. falciparum infection intensity, prevalence, and mortality in NT, LPSM-injected, and CLD-injected mosquitoes fed on blood with high or low gametocytemia, measured at 7 dpi. b P. falciparum sporozoites in salivary glands (SGs) measured at 14 dpi. Mosquitoes were injected with LPSMs or CLDs or not injected (NT), and sporozoites were counted 4 days later (at 10 dpi). c Model of the role of A. gambiae hemocytes during P. falciparum infection. Hemocytes play an agonistic role in the early stages of P. falciparum but have no effect against sporozoites. Each experiment consisted of three biological replicates, and data were pooled to generate the graphs. Data are presented as boxes and whiskers with medians with interquartile ranges; each dot indicates the number of oocysts/sporozoites per midgut/salivary glands. Mortality rates are presented as percentages in a bar graph. Prevalence is presented as a percentage. The n value for each condition is indicated in the subfigures. Statistical analysis of infection intensity was performed using the Kruskal–Wallis test with Dunn´s post-test. *p < 0.05; ***p > 0.0005; ns not significant. Statistical analysis of prevalence and mortality rates were performed with Fisher´s exact test, ****p < 0.0001; ns not significant. Detailed statistical analysis and source data are provided as a Source Data file. Schematic illustrations of the experimental strategy in Fig. (1a, b), and the model of Fig. 1c were created by Victor Cardoso-Jaime using Microsoft PowerPoint Version 16.92.