Mean cytoplasmic protein concentration of host erythrocytes and the reticulocyte response in Plasmodium berghei infected mice.

The decreasing mean cytoplasmic protein concentration (MPC) of P. berghei host cells is paralled by an increasing parasitemia and percent reticulocyte response. The reticulocyte response parallels the percent parasitemia except during a period of accelerated reticulocytosis noted during the midpoint of the infection at which time the percent reticulocytes increases at a rate more than double the rate of increase of percent parasitemia. Although the reticulocyte population and the host cell population are usually equivalent, the disparity noted suggests the existence of unique characteristics in the reticulocyte response of P. berghei infected mice.