Selective opsonization and phagocytosis of DVs after pRBC rupture. (A) Immediately after lysis of late-stage pRBCs, merozoites and DVs were harvested and stained with polyclonal Abs directed against native and activated C3 (C3b) and DNA. C3 immunoreactivity was exclusively restricted to DV membranes. Scale bar indicates 20 μm. (B) DNA staining was used to identify merozoites and PE-surface-labeled PMNs were added to the mixture with DVs. Stacked images (i-vi: top to bottom) were prepared that revealed extracellular localization of merozoites. Left rows: fluorescence; right rows: merged fluorescence and phase-contrast images. The micrographs shown are representative of 3 independent experiments. Scale bar indicates 20 μm.