Separation of Plasmodium berghei-parasitized rat erythrocytes by means of carrier-free electrophoresis.

A carrier-free electrophoresis apparatus was used to isolate rat erythrocytes parasitized with Plasmodium berghei. The region of high electrophoretic mobility yielded noninfected erythrocytes, whereas that of low electrophoretic mobility yielded erythrocytes infected with viable parasites. Over 98% purity of parasitized erythrocytes was obtained when blood at an advanced stage of parasitaemia was used. Merozoite-rich fractions were also observed. This continuous one-step separation method should provide large numbers of parasitized erythrocytes for use in immunological and biochemical studies of malaria.