Figure 1
From: Plasmodium falciparum strains spontaneously switch invasion phenotype in suspension culture
Dd2 and W2mef, but not 3D7, spontaneously switch invasion phenotype in suspension culture. The P. falciparum isolates were adapted to parallel Static (ST) and Suspended (SP) cultures (44 rpm) and their invasion phenotypes assessed weekly using untreated and neuraminidase (Nm)-treated erythrocytes as target cells. Returning SP cultures to ST conditions (R-ST), led to a gradual loss of their ability to invade Nm-treated erythrocytes. Invasion rates were determined by Flow Cytometry as percentage of ring-infected erythrocytes after approximately 14 hours’ incubation of schizonts with target erythrocytes, and expressed as percent invasion efficiency relative to invasion of untreated erythrocytes. Data are presented as mean ± standard errors of triplicate biological experiments.
