The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model: From its origins in developmental biology to its role in cancer research.

Over the past century, the chick embryo model, historically employed for research in developmental biology, has become a valuable tool for cancer research. The characteristics of the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) make it a convenient model for the study of cancer, leading to the establishment of the CAM assay as an alternative to traditional in vivo cancer models. In this review we will explore the characteristics of the CAM that make it suitable for cancer research, as well as its consolidation as a versatile platform in this field.

Key features of the innate immune response is mediated by the immunoproteasome in microglia.

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). We and others have shown that the inflammatory response of microglia is partially regulated by the immunoproteasome, an inducible form of the proteasome responsible for the generation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I epitopes. While the role of the proteasome in the adaptive immune system is well established, emerging evidence suggests the immunoproteasome may have discrete functions in the innate immune response.

Macrophage migration is differentially regulated by fibronectin and laminin through altered adhesion and myosin II localization.

Macrophages are indispensable for proper immune surveillance and inflammatory regulation. They also exhibit dramatic phenotypic plasticity and are highly responsive to their local microenvironment, which includes the extracellular matrix (ECM). This work demonstrates that two fibrous ECM glycoproteins, fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LAM), elicit distinct morphological and migratory responses from macrophages in two-dimensional environments.

Macrophage migration is differentially regulated by distinct ECM components.

Macrophages are indispensable for proper immune surveillance and inflammatory regulation. They also exhibit dramatic phenotypic plasticity and are highly responsive to their local microenvironment, which includes the extracellular matrix (ECM). The present work demonstrates that two fibrous ECM glycoproteins, fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LAM), elicit distinct morphological and migratory responses to macrophages in 2D environments.

Opportunistic viral surveillance confirms the ongoing disease threat grey squirrels pose to sympatric red squirrel populations in the UK.

Background: Red Squirrels United was a UK landscape-scale grey squirrel management programme undertaken between 2016 and 2020.

Methods: A total of 11034 grey squirrels were removed by culling, with 1506 necropsied and 1405 suitable for adenovirus (AdV) or squirrelpox virus (SQPV) quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. Spleen, lip or hair were extracted, and DNA was isolated, with samples tested in duplicate by qPCR.