Molecular mechanisms of host cell traversal by malaria sporozoites

•Malaria sporozoites traverse host cells to establish infection in the mammalian host.•Sporozoite traversal of host cells can involve transient vacuoles.•Parasite escape from transient vacuoles requires perforin-like protein 1 (PLP1).•The formation and nature of the sporozoite-host cell tight junction is unknown.•The molecular step-wise events of cell traversal are largely unknown and require further research.