Involved in sporozoite infection of hepatocytes and replication therein. Present on the surface of sporozoite. Expressed both in gametocytes and in liver-infective sporozoites. Attenuated parasites that cannot commit to infection, even when they encounter with hepatocytes, resulting in continuous traversal of hepatocytes. Cells lacking both PBS36 and P52/PBS36P are severely affected in their capability to develop into liver stage parasites and abort development soon after invasion; possibly due to the absence of a parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM).