Imaging Plasmodium immunobiology in the liver, brain, and lung.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is responsible for the deaths of over half a million African children annually. Until a decade ago, dynamic analysis of the malaria parasite was limited to in vitro systems with the typical limitations associated with 2D monocultures or entirely artificial surfaces. Due to extremely low parasite densities, the liver was considered a black box in terms of Plasmodium sporozoite invasion, liver stage development, and merozoite release into the blood.

Tobacco smoke induced COPD/emphysema in the animal model-are we all on the same page?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the foremost causes of death worldwide. It is primarily caused by tobacco smoke, making it an easily preventable disease, but facilitated by genetic α-1 antitrypsin deficiency. In addition to active smokers, health problems also occur in people involuntarily exposed to second hand smoke (SHS).

Endothelial cell adhesion molecule CD146: implications for its role in the pathogenesis of COPD.

CD146 is an adhesion molecule localized at endothelial cell junctions and facilitates cell-cell interactions. The circulating soluble form (sCD146) lacks both the intracellular and the transmembrane domains. In this study we show that CD146 expression was significantly decreased in the lung tissue of smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and also in rats exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS).

Histomonas meleagridis possesses three alpha-actinins immunogenic to its hosts.

Histomonas meleagridis is a protozoan parasite known to cause histomonosis (syn. typhlohepatitis) in poultry. Due to the economic losses which the disease entails, there is an urgency to understanding its pathogenesis.