While expression of ephrin-A1 ligand in whole brains (Fig 5A) and CD8+ T cells (Fig 5C) along with soluble ephrin-A1 ligand in the plasma (Fig 4D) are similar in PbA and PbNK65 infections, the differential requirement of EphA2 for CD8+ T cell accumulation in the brain in these two mouse models of malaria suggests that the unique and significant difference in brain EphA2 expression may be a contributing factor to the different neurological damage that occurs in these two Plasmodium models. This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and malaria.