Triggers of key calcium signals during erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium falciparum reticulocyte-binding protein homologue 1 (PfRH1) and erythrocyte-binding-like protein EBA175 are important for parasite invasion of host cells. Here, Gao et al. show that PfRH1 activates calcium signalling, which induces release of EBA175 and allows junction formation between host cell and parasite.