Final stage of maturation of the erythrocytic schizonts of rodent Plasmodium in the lungs

Schizonts of all rodent Plasmodium studied (Plasmodium yoelii, P. chabaudi, P. vinckei) show a characteristic morphology when they are completely mature: rounded or slightly elongate merozoites, completely detached from the pigment mass. At this stage, they are localized principally in the spleen and the lungs but, in impression smears of these organs they show two different aspects. In the spleen, schizonts are either inside the host erythrocyte or extraglobular but still close to a pigment mass; free merozoites are rare. In the lungs, on the contrary, merozoites are often free and dispersed; electron microscopy showed them to lie against the endothelium. Work by physiologists has shown the blood circulation in the alveoli to be much slowed down. Free merozoites, lined against the endothelium of relatively rigid capillaries, are in the best possible conditions to make contact with the intact red blood cells. Lungs appear to be the privileged site for the invasion of erythrocytes by the merozoites.