Ultrastructural localization of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein in newly invaded hepatoma cells.

The fate and disposition of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein of Plasmodium falciparum was investigated during hepatoma cell invasion with several sera raised against defined CS peptides, including both repeat and nonrepeat regions spanning approximately 60% of the P. falciparum CS gene product. Distribution of the protein, as revealed by immunoelectron microscopy, was limited to the surface of the sporozoite both before and after invasion. In particular, no CS protein antigen was detected in association with either the parasitophorous vacuole membrane or the host cell surface.