When malaria parasites trick liver cells to let themselves in

(Instituto de Medicina Molecular) A new study led by Maria Manuel Mota, group leader at Instituto de Medicina Molecular, now shows that malaria parasites secrete the protein EXP2 that is required for their entry into hepatocytes. These findings, published today in the scientific journalNature Communications, open a new avenue for prophylactic anti-malarial strategies, since blocking or decreasing the infection of the liver can prevent the disease.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news