This approach provides high spatial resolution not available by other means. Effortshave been made to image whole parasitized red blood cells (RBC) by X-ray microscopy8, but the resolving power of this method is as yet considerably inferior tothat of electron microscopy (EM). Using serial section-ing, we have also reconstructed the plastid (apicoplast)9 and the merozoite rhop try–Golgi complex inthis species10. The illustrations in this Review outline the major features of each stage; it should be borne in mind that development is a continuous dynamic process taking 48 h to complete, with many intermedi-ate stages and complexities that are not shown here.