Ultrastructural Damage to the Malaria Parasite in the Sickled Cell

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Abstract
The process by which malaria parasites are killed in sickled [human] erythrocytes was studied by EM. In vitro cultures of Plasmodium falciparum in sickle cell Hb (HbS), homozygous (SS) and heterozygous (SA) red cells were deoxygenated for up to 6 h and fixed under anaerobic conditions. Parasites in SS cells appeared to be disrupted by intrusions of needle-like deoxyHbS aggergates; disintegration of cytoplasm and membranes followed. In SA red cells, the parasites were generally not disrupted. Instead, extensive vacuolization occurred, a sign of metabolic inhibition. The resistance of HbS gene carriers to malaria results partly from these causes of intracellular parasite death.

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