New insights into the protective power of platelets in malaria infection

Platelets, as well as regulating blood hemostasis, are an important component of thebody's defense against invading microbial pathogens. We previously reported that platelets protect during malaria infection by binding Plasmodiuminfected erythrocytes (IE) and killing the parasite within. More recent studies have now revealed the platelet plasmocidalfactor, platelet factor 4 (PF4) and the red cell-expressed Duffyantigen molecule as the central players in the parasite killing activity of platelets.