The Increased Susceptibility of Young Red Cells to Invasion by the Malarial Parasite<i>Plasmodium falciparum</i>

The relationship between red cell age and susceptibility to invasion by the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been examined by several different methods including short-term cultures of parasitized human blood. The results indicate that reticulocytes and young red cells are more susceptible to invasion by this parasite as compared with metabolically older cell populations. This is contrary to the current belief that red cells of all ages are invaded indiscriminately by P. falciparum. This observation has important theoretical, clinical and practical implications; its mechanism remains as yet unclear.