Franco et al. challenge the present use of humane endpoints in animal-based research. They argue that current application of humane endpoints in studies of infection fail to address the real animal welfare problems in severe experiments. This opinion article is published with a comment from the editor encouraging discussion of the topic.
Adhesion to a surface is a survival mechanism for bacteria. Busscher and van der Mei describe the recent, multi-disciplinary research that has made important progress towards our understanding of how bacteria sense a surface and what stimulates them to transform from a planktonic to a biofilm mode of growth.
In schistosomiasis patients, parasite eggs are trapped in hepatic sinusoids. Since the immune response is unable to clear the infection, the liver is subjected to ongoing cycles of focal inflammation and healing that lead to vascular obstruction and tissue fibrosis. Fairfax et al. describe a role for IL-10-dependent B cell responses in the regulation of tissue damage during chronic Schistosoma infection.
Tattermusch et al. investigate the principal biological pathways and cell types that are deregulated in Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection by quantifying and analyzing differences in blood gene expression patterns of HTLV-1-infected individuals and seronegative controls.
The peptidoglycan of many Gram positive pathogens is almost fully amidated which appears to reduce the susceptibility towards innate host defenses. Münch et al. describe the enzymes that catalyze the amidation of the peptidoglycan precursors and provide biochemical evidence for acceptor and nitrogen donor substrates.
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