The Outward Rectifying Anions and Organic Osmolytes Conductance in Malaria-Infected Erythocytes: Myth or Reality?

Abstract

Malaria-infected erythrocytes acquired New Permeability Pathways (NPPs) to meet the needs in nutrients and disposal of waste products of the intraerythocytic parasite development. The NPPs have been intensively studied for their putative interest as therapeutic targets for malaria treatment. Over the past 10 years, many electrophysiological studies have identified novel ion conductances (reflecting a part of the NPPs activities) in the host plasma membrane of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. In this article, we review the electrophysiological/biophysical properties of the malaria-induced outwardly rectifying anion conductance and compare this conductance to the other anion conductances and permeabilities already described in the literature.