Find in Library
Search millions of books, articles, and more
Indexed Open Access Databases
An Invertebrate Host to Study Fungal Infections, Mycotoxins and Antifungal Drugs: <i>Tenebrio molitor</i>
oleh: PatrÃcia Canteri de Souza, Carla Custódio Caloni, Duncan Wilson, Ricardo Sergio Almeida
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2018-11-01 |
Deskripsi
Faced with ethical conflict and social pressure, researchers have increasingly chosen to use alternative models over vertebrates in their research. Since the innate immune system is evolutionarily conserved in insects, the use of these animals in research is gaining ground. This review discusses <i>Tenebrio molitor</i> as a potential model host for the study of pathogenic fungi. Larvae of <i>T. molitor</i> are known as cereal pests and, in addition, are widely used as animal and human feed. A number of studies on mechanisms of the humoral system, especially in the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides, which have similar characteristics to vertebrates, have been performed. These studies demonstrate the potential of <i>T. molitor</i> larvae as a model host that can be used to study fungal virulence, mycotoxin effects, host immune responses to fungal infection, and the action of antifungal compounds.