Insights into the Cytoadherence Phenomenon of : The Putative Role of Phosphatidylserine.

is the most geographically widespread and the dominant human malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa and, although it was classically recognized to cause benign infection, severe cases and deaths caused by have remarkably been reported. In contrast to , which well-known ability to bind to endothelium and placental tissue and form rosettes is related to severity of the disease, it has been a dogma that is unable to undergo cytoadherent phenomena. However, some studies have demonstrated that red blood cells (RBCs) infected by can cytoadhere to host cells, while the molecules participating in this host-parasite interaction are still a matter of speculation. In the present overview, we address the evidences currently supporting the adhesive profile of and, additionally, discuss the putative role of phosphatidylserine-a cell membrane phospholipid with cytoadhesive properties that has been detected on the surface of -parasitized RBCs.