Researchers are studying the dramatic physical transformation that some insects undergo to give birth to live young. This includes suppressing their immune systems to accommodate babies, which is something some insects and people have in common.
Understanding how these systems work can help improve treatments for fibromyalgia and other immune disorders. An international team of researchers has examined the complex structural and physiological changes that take place in Hawaii's beetle-mimic cockroaches, which give birth to live young.
Biologists at the University of Cincinnati were part of an international team examining the complex structural and physiological changes that take place in Hawaii's beetle-mimic cockroaches, which give birth to live young. "The beetle-mimic cockroach is one of the rare insects which has developed a complex structure to host the growing embryo similar to placenta in mammals, which made it a perfect model to investigate the evolution of live-birth," Fouks said.
Researchers sequenced the genome of the Pacific beetle-mimic cockroach, the only roach that gives birth to live young. They performed comparative analysis with tsetse flies and aphids, which do likewise, to unravel the genomic basis underlying this transition from laying eggs to birthing babies.
Benoit said some genes dealing with the immune system are down-regulated during pregnancy. That can explain why some women who suffer from autoimmune disorders might see symptoms go away during pregnancy."These changes may facilitate structural and physiological changes to accommodate developing young and protect them from the mother's immune system," he said.Bertrand Fouks, Mark C. Harrison, Alina A. Mikhailova, Elisabeth Marchal, Sinead English, Madeleine Carruthers, Emily C.
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