Here we describe a reduced membrane deformability of human erythrocytes when aspirated into 0.6 μm diameter pores in polycarbonate sieves, after exposure of uninfected cells to spent parasite‐culture supernatant. This, taken in concert with a previous observation that intra‐erythrocytic development of the parasiteP. falciparum decreases host localised membrane deformability, may indicate a biological role for such parasite‐induced changes in the rheological properties of the erythrocyte.
