New insights into the protective power of platelets in malaria infection.

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