The isolation of malaria parasites and their constituents.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the procedure for the isolation of malaria parasites and their constituents. The malaria parasite is a complex eukaryotic organism. It is described by morphologists in terms of plasma membranes, pelicule complexes, microtubules, nuclei, ribosomes, and a multitude of other structures. The problem of obtaining sufficient quantities of the parasite is complicated by its complex life cycle. The malaria parasite develops in two hosts—an invertebrate and a vertebrate. It exists in a variety of morphologically distinct forms in both hosts. In each host, a variety of organ and cell systems are parasitized. In the vertebrate host, malaria parasites develop intracellularly, while in the invertebrate host, they develop extracellularly but are nevertheless closely associated with the host's tissues. While all the stages of the parasite may share common components, each stage also has unique characteristics. The chapter describes techniques for obtaining relatively large numbers of gametocytes, gametes, and ookinetes. The use of gametocytes and gametes in the induction of transmission-inhibiting immunity has resulted in an interesting approach to vaccination. The in vitro production of ookinetes from gametes has made it possible to devise an in vitro system for monitoring transmission-inhibiting antibodies.