Parasite developmental age and infected erythrocyte knob density.

<p>Example atomic force micrographs of erythrocytes infected by a early schizont parasite <i>ex vivo</i> (A) or by a younger VAR2CSA-expressing trophozoite (B). Black scale bars: 1 µm. The inserts show light micrographs of the same infected erythrocytes stained by Giemsa. Close-up micrographs of knobs (C) and of a single knob (D). Black scale bars: 200 nm (C), 75 nm (D).