How does Anopheles gambiae kill malaria parasites?
The malaria parasite's lifecycle in the mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae involves several translocations within and between tissues during which large parasite losses have been documented. Interestingly, during the critical transition stages of midgut invasion and relocation of sporozoites from the oocysts to the salivary glands the mosquito innate immune system is activated. These defense reactions could, at least partially, be responsible for the parasite killing in the mosquito. This important question is now being approached by the dissection of the mosquito innate immune system as well as genetic and genomic studies.
Dimopoulos
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European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany. george.dimopoulos@embl-heidelberg.de
Müller
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HM
Kafatos
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D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008288:Malaria / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010961:Plasmodium