Biotin interaction with human erythrocytes: contact on membrane surface and formation of self-assembled fibrous structures

Abstract

The binding of biotin to human erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBCs) is followed with the help of optical and atomic force microscopy methods. As certain biotin derivatives gain access to Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes and block parasite-induced transport of other solutes, the microscopy observations reported in this communication will provide impetus to unravel the access mechanism of biotin and its derivatives to malaria infected erythrocytes.