Microarchitecture of the tsetse fly proboscis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tsetse flies (genus Glossina) are large blood-sucking dipteran flies that are important as vectors of human and animal trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. Tsetse anatomy has been well described, including detailed accounts of the functional anatomy of the proboscis for piercing host skin and sucking up blood. The proboscis also serves as the developmental site for the infective metacyclic stages of several species of pathogenic livestock trypanosomes that are inoculated into the host with fly saliva. To understand the physical environment in which these trypanosomes develop, we have re-examined the microarchitecture of the tsetse proboscis.

Results

We examined proboscises from male and female flies of Glossina pallidipes using light microscopy and scanning elec

SUBMITTER: Gibson W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5606065 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature