House finch Harderian gland
The goal of this study was to understand how house finch populations have evolved to tolerate infection with a novel pathogen (Mycoplasma gallisepticum). Mycoplasma gallisepticum causes severe conjunctivitis in house finches. The transcriptomes of Harderian glands, which are located near the eye and play a role in local immune responses, were analyzed in house finches infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum. House finches were collected from four populations that differ in their ability to tolerate Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections.