Has Anti-Viral Activity in Rift Valley Fever Virus Infected .

Mosquitoes in the genera and are vectors of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), which emerges in periodic epidemics in Africa and Saudi Arabia. Factors that influence the transmission dynamics of RVFV are not well characterized. To address this, we interrogated mosquito host-signaling responses through analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in two mosquito species with marked differences in RVFV vector competence: (, low competence) and (, high competence).

Patterns of intracellular and intercellular Ca2+ waves in the longitudinal muscle layer of the murine large intestine in vitro.

Ca2+ wave activity was monitored in the longitudinal (LM) layer of isolated murine caecum and proximal colon at 35 degrees C with fluo-4 AM and an iCCD camera. Both intracellular (within LM cells) and intercellular (also spreading from cell to cell) Ca2+ waves were observed. Intracellular Ca2+ waves were associated with a lack of muscle movement whereas intercellular Ca2+ waves, which were five times more intense than intracellular waves, were often associated with localized contractions.