Stages of in vitro phagocytosis of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes by human monocytes

Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical

Maria Imaculada Muniz-junqueira¹  Carlos Eduardo Tosta¹ 

[1],Universidade de Brasília Faculdade de Medicina Laboratório de Imunologia Celular DF

关键词: Phagocytosis;    Monocytes;    Plasmodium falciparum;    Fagocitose;    Monócitos;    Plasmodium falciparum;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0037-86822009000200001

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Monocytes/macrophages play a critical role in the defense mechanisms against malaria parasites, and are the main cells responsible for the elimination of malaria parasites from the blood circulation. We carried out a microscope-aided evaluation of the stages of in vitro phagocytosis of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes, by human monocytes. These cells were obtained from healthy adult individuals by means of centrifugation through a cushion of Percoll density medium and were incubated with erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum that had previously been incubated with a pool of anti-plasmodial immune serum. We described the stages of phagocytosis, starting from adherence of infected erythrocytes to the phagocyte membrane and ending with their destruction within the phagolisosomes of the monocytes. We observed that the different erythrocytic forms of the parasite were ingested by monocytes, and that the process of phagocytosis may be completed in around 30 minutes. Furthermore, we showed that phagocytosis may occur continuously, such that different phases of the process were observed in the same phagocyte.

【 授权许可】

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