Ion transport mechanisms in transporting epithelia of aquatic insect larvae

我的研究考察了钠、氯和钾等离子是如何通过器官细胞运输的，这些器官负责维持血液中适当的离子水平。这对所有活着的动物来说都是一个基本的重要过程，因为血液离子水平会影响神经系统、心脏和大多数其他器官的功能。我将重点放在蚊子和蚊蝇幼虫的肛门乳头中如何发生离子运输，以及当幼虫受到环境变化(从淡水到咸水，反之亦然)时，这些过程如何通过神经系统进行调节。这通常发生在蚊子的自然栖息地，通过暴雨和蒸发。肛门乳头是从动物的后端伸出的囊状器官。这些肛门乳头通过从水中提取离子并将它们输送到血淋巴(昆虫血液)来帮助蚊子幼虫在淡水条件下生存。许多蚊子物种能够在盐水中生存，这些蚊子的肛门乳头的作用还不是很清楚。因此，我正在研究两种近缘关系密切的蚊子，其中一种生活在淡水中，另一种生活在咸水中。此外，我正在检查蚊蝇幼虫，因为它们的肛门乳头接受神经系统的直接输入。通过这些研究，我将培训学生在学术和私营部门的基础、医学和制药研究中应用的生理学技术。我的研究将有助于理解运输组织的离子传输机制以及神经系统对它们的调节，这对所有动物来说都是至关重要的过程。此外，我的研究可以导致开发新的和具体的方法来控制传播西尼罗河病毒和疟疾等疾病的蚊子种群。

My research examines how ions such as sodium, chloride and potassium are transported across cells of organs that are responsible for maintaining appropriate ion levels in the blood. This is a fundamentally important process for all living animals because blood ion levels affect the function of the nervous system, the heart, and most other organs. I am focusing on how ion transport occurs in anal papillae of mosquito and midge fly larvae, and how these processes can be regulated via the nervous system when larvae are subjected to a changing environment (from freshwater to salt-water and vice versa). This routinely happens in the natural habitats of mosquitoes through heavy rainfall and evaporation. Anal papillae are sac like organs that project out from the rear end of the animal. These anal papillae help mosquito larvae to survive under freshwater conditions by taking ions from the water and transporting them into the haemolymph (insect blood). Many mosquito species are capable of surviving in salt-water and the role of the anal papillae in these mosquitoes is not well understood. Therefore I am studying 2 closely related mosquitoes, one of which lives in freshwater and the other in salt-water. In addition, I am examining the midge fly larvae because their anal papillae receive direct inputs from the nervous system. Through these studies I will train students in physiological techniques that are applied in basic, medical and pharmaceutical research in both academic and private sector settings. My research will contribute to the understanding of ion transport mechanisms of transporting tissues and their regulation by the nervous system, fundamentally important processes for all animals. In addition my research can lead to the development of new and specific ways of controlling mosquito populations that transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus and Malaria.