Chirality helps malaria parasites reach their target
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Subjects Biological physicsCellular motility Malaria parasites rapidly glide through host tissues in right-handed spirals. A tilted architecture and asymmetric forces power this chiral motion and help them to transition between different environments. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access options Access through your institution Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Learn more Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue Learn more Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from$1.95 to$39.95 Learn more Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Fig. 1: Chiral movement of Plasmodium sporozoites in two and three dimensions. ReferencesLettermann, L. et al. Nat. Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-03096-0 (2025).Article Google Scholar Tsikolia, N. et al. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 5, 102564 (2025).Article Google Scholar Vanderberg, J. P. J. Protozool. 21, 527–537 (1974).Article Google Scholar Liu, Z. et al. iScience 27, 110463 (2024).Article ADS Google Scholar Quadt, K. A. et al. ACS Nano 10, 2091–2102 (2016).Article Google Scholar Pavlou, G. et al. ACS Nano 14, 7121–7139 (2020).Article Google Scholar Vigetti, L. et al. Nat. Microbiol. 9, 3148–3164 (2024).Article Google Scholar Hueschen, C. L. et al. Nat. Phys. 20, 1989–1996 (2024).Article Google Scholar Kudryashev, M. et al. Cell Microbiol. 14, 1757–1768 (2012).Article Google Scholar Battista, A. et al. Phys. Rev. E 90, 042720 (2014).Article ADS Google Scholar Download referencesAuthor informationAuthors and AffiliationsVNous — Scientific Consulting, Athens, GreeceGeorgios PavlouInstitute for Advanced Biosciences, Biomechanics of Host–Parasite Interactions team, CNRS UMR 5309, INSERM U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, FranceIsabelle TardieuxAuthorsGeorgios PavlouView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarIsabelle TardieuxView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorCorrespondence to Isabelle Tardieux.Ethics declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Rights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articlePavlou, G., Tardieux, I. Chirality helps malaria parasites reach their target. Nat. Phys. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-03142-xDownload citationPublished: 19 December 2025Version of record: 19 December 2025DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-03142-xShare this articleAnyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:Get shareable linkSorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.Copy shareable link to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative Chirality of malaria parasites determines their motion patterns Leon LettermannMirko SingerUlrich S.
Schwarz Nature Physics Article 24 Nov 2025