RBC is single cell structure and
it does not have nucleolus. Life span of RBC is around 115 days. Four species of malaria parasites are present
one of them is Plasmodium falciparum, it
enters into red blood cell (RBC). "Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites have evolved several
key-like molecules to enter into human red blood cells through different
door-like host receptors. How does sporozoites enters
the RBC to start their asexual life cycle. Life cycle of parasite in RBC is two days to three days.
Dr Manoj Duraisingh researchers at Harvard T.
H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute have identified a protein
on cell wall of human red blood cells that serves as an essential entry point
for invasion by the malaria parasite. This protein, called CD55, was found to be
critical to the Plasmodium
falciparum parasite's ability to attach itself to the red blood
cell wall surface during invasion. The parasite has much way to attach on cell
wall surface of RBC. One thing is must if CD55 is not present then parasite
cannot attach to cell wall of RBC.
Team leader Dr Manoj Duraisingh says CD55 acts
as door for malaria parasite. It acts door-like host receptors for many other
parasites. If we able to shut this door or block CD55 we can control malaria.
Thus question arise all RBC have CD55 or for
some time certain RBC has CD55. What is the utility or function of CD55? All
invasion of parasite in RBC or any other cell wall is through CD55.
What about liver cell their cell wall also
contain CD55. I do not know. How does invasion take place in liver cell?
I got this information from
1. Elizabeth S. Egan, Rays
H.Y. Jiang, Mischka A. Moechtar, Natasha S. Barteneva, Michael P. Weekes, Luis
V. Nobre, Steven P. Gygi, Joao A. Paulo, Charles Frantzreb, Yoshihiko Tani,
Junko Takahashi, Seishi Watanabe, Jonathan Goldberg, Aditya S. Paul, Carlo
Brugnara, David E. Root, Roger C. Wiegand, John G. Doench, Manoj T. Duraisingh. A
forward genetic screen identifies erythrocyte CD55 as essential for Plasmodium
falciparum invasion. Science, May 2015 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa3526
