Natural resistance to malaria linked to variation in human red blood cell receptors
Thursday, May 18, 2017 - 14:31
in Health & Medicine
Researchers have discovered that protection from the most severe form of malaria is linked with natural variation in human red blood cell genes. A study has identified a genetic rearrangement of red blood cell glycophorin receptors that confers a 40 percent reduced risk from severe malaria. This opens a new avenue of research for malarial therapeutics.