Research Article  DC8 and DC13 var Genes Associated with Severe
Malaria Bind Avidly to Diverse Endothelial Cells    • Marion
Avril,      Affiliation: Seattle Biomedical Research Institute,
Seattle, Washington, United States of America    • Andrew J.
Brazier,     • Martin Melcher,     • Sowmya Sampath,     •
Joseph D. Smith mail      Affiliations: Seattle Biomedical
Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of
America, Department of Global Health, University of Washington,
Seattle, Washington, United States of America    • Published:
June 27, 2013   • DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003430   During
blood stage infection, Plasmodium falciparum infected
erythrocytes (IE) bind to host blood vessels. This virulence
determinant enables parasites to evade spleen-dependent killing
mechanisms, but paradoxically in some cases may reduce parasite
fitness by killing the host. Adhesion of infected erythrocytes
is mediated by P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1
(PfEMP1), a family of polymorphic adhesion pr