Sorting of malarial antigens into vesicular compartments within the host cell cytoplasm as demonstrated by immunoelectron microscopy.

A double and triple immunogold labeling technique has been applied to demonstrate that several malarial antigens of the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum are exported from the parasite into distinct compartments within the host cell cytoplasm. Multiple species of vesicles, each with specifically packaged contents, are consistent with a sorting function of vesicular structures in the Plasmodium infected erythrocyte. During schizogony, two parasite antigens, an S-antigen and a parasitophorous vacuole membrane antigen, QF 116, become packaged into such vesicles and are transported into the erythrocyte cytoplasm. At this stage of parasite development, host cell material is taken in through the parasitophorous vacuole membrane into the vacuolar space surrounding the parasite.