Etude ultrastructurale comparée du processus de dégradation de l'hémoglobine par P. berghei (Vincke et Lips, 1948) en fonction de l'état de maturité de la cellule hǒte1

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Abstract
By serial sectioning and 3D [3-dimensional] reconstriction, the type of system for Hb digestion in 2 strains of Plasmodium berghei, N and RC, was shown to be dependent on the maturity of the host cell. In parasites growing in erythrocytes, both systems for the endocytosis of hemoglobin.sbd.micropinocytosis and the cytostomal system (i.e., a cytostome budding a cytostomal tube that releases food vaculoles).sbd.are fully functional and produce a great quantity of residual pigment. Parasites growing in reticulocytes have a disrupted cytostomal system; no tube is formed and only food vacuoles are visible in their cytoplasm. Residual pigment is smaller in size and in quantity. The reduced quantity of pigment in reticulocytes in explained by exocytosis of pigment. A hypothesis is proposed that relates the process of degradation of Hb to the maturity of the host cell and a possible mechanism of protection against chloroquine, a drug known for its affinity for malarial pigment.