Studies in the past year displaced long-standing dogmas and provided many n
ew molecular insights into how proteins and solutes move between the erythr
ocyte plasma membrane and the malarial vacuole. Highlights include a demons
tration that (1) detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) rafts exist in the red
cell membrane and their resident proteins are detected as rafts in the plas
modial vacuole, (2) a voltage-gated channel in the infected red cell membra
ne mediates uptake of extracellular nutrient solutes, and (3) intraerythroc
ytic membranes transport a parasite-encoded adherence antigen to the red ce
ll surface. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.