Fig. 3

Effect of cell shape on dynamic cytoadhesive behavior. a Schematic representation of the mesoscopic computer simulation, based on a deformable red blood cell model and multiparticle collision hydrodynamics, used to assess the adhesion dynamics of parasitized erythrocytes. Fluid flow lines derived from the simulation are shown around a flipping cell. Flow velocities are indicated by a color code. b Representative time series of a flipping trophozoite and a rolling schizont are shown. The upper panels show the motion behavior as recorded by phase contrast microscopy (see also Supplementary Movies 5 and 6). The lower panels show the corresponding mesoscopic simulations (see also Supplementary Movies 7 and 8). The time points at which the snapshots were recorded are indicated. Wall shear stress, 0.03 Pa; scale bar, 5 µm. c, d Simulation of the fluorescence amplitude, A, and velocity trajectory, v, of c a flipping cell with an asymmetric discoidal shape and d a rolling cell with an almost spherical shape. a.u., arbitrary units