Malaria sporozoite: migrating for a living. Authors' reply

Plasmodium sporozoite invasion of host hepatocytes is an initial key step of infection by the malaria parasite. Sporozoites can enter hepatocytes via two distinct pathways: by disruption of the plasma membrane followed byparasite migration through cells, or by the formation of a vacuole essential for further differentiation of the parasite. For Plasmodium falciparum, this differentiation requires the presence of CD81 on the hepatocyte surface. Recent findings with rodent parasites also suggest that migration through cells has an effect on both the sporozoite infectivity and the permissiveness of surrounding cells.