III - Epithelial dynamics and tissue repair in the mosquito midgut
We are developing new tools and techniques to study the mosquito gut, which is the site of invasion for many pathogens that mosquitoes transmit to humans (e.g. malaria parasites, dengue, yellow fever and zika viruses). Our interests include:
• Immunity and tolerance mechanisms that the mosquito employs in its interaction with ingested pathogens
• Gut epithelial repair mechanisms and their impact on mosquito survival following pathogenic invasion
• Expanding functional knowledge of important immune and stress response pathways in the mosquito (e.g. Toll, Imd, JAK/STAT)
• Manipulating intestinal stem cell activity to study gut cell lineage in the mosquito midgut epithelium
• Immunity and tolerance mechanisms that the mosquito employs in its interaction with ingested pathogens
• Gut epithelial repair mechanisms and their impact on mosquito survival following pathogenic invasion
• Expanding functional knowledge of important immune and stress response pathways in the mosquito (e.g. Toll, Imd, JAK/STAT)
• Manipulating intestinal stem cell activity to study gut cell lineage in the mosquito midgut epithelium
Nuclei of new cells (green) and dividing stem cells (red) in the anterior mosquito midgut
Nuclei of new cells (green) and dividing stem cells (red) in the posterior mosquito midgut
Newly divided cells (green) and endocrine cells (red) in the mosquito midgut epithelium.