Ontwikkeling van het maagdarmstelsel bij het zeepaardje (Hippocampus erectus P.)

Seahorses have become an endangered species because of overfishing. Aquaculture could potentially compensate for this decline, but its effect is limited since most seahorses raised in captivity die at the age of 5 days. In this study the histological analysis of the alimentary tract of larvae aged 7 and 33 days is described, to help understand their digestive mechanisms. At day 7 a lot of mucines could be found in the oesophagus. These are suggestive of pre-gastric digestion. At both ages, the stomach was noticed as a sac-like distension cranial to the midgut, lacking gastric glands. A solid tubulus-shaped structure in between swimbladder and hindgut is suggestive of a regressing pneumatic duct

Knelpunten in aquacultuur: enkele risicovolle aspecten van de vroege levensstadia van de vis

Aquaculture is a fast growing sector. However, during larviculture and fish husbandry, many bottlenecks still occur. Many problems concern nutritional factors and can be avoided by a clear understanding of the development of the gastrointestinal system of the various fish species. Parameters, such as enterocyte height, the presence of enterocytic supranuclear vacuoles and 'the point of no return', can be used to monitor and prevent food deprivation. This information can also be used to compose a feeding regime with rotifers, Artemia en copepods

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Penetrates the Basement Membrane in Human Nasal Respiratory Mucosa

Background: Herpes simplex virus infections are highly prevalent in humans. However, the current therapeutics suffer important drawbacks such as limited results in neonates, increasing occurrence of resistance and impeded treatment of stromal infections. Remarkably, interactions of herpesviruses with human mucosa, the locus of infection, remain poorly understood and the underlying mechanisms in stromal infection remain controversial. Methodology/Principal Findings: A human model consisting of nasal respiratory mucosa explants was characterised. Viability and integrity were examined during 96 h of cultivation. HSV1-mucosa interactions were analysed. In particular, we investigated whether HSV1 is able to reach the stroma. Explant viability and integrity remained preserved. HSV1 induced rounding up and loosening of epithelial cells with very few apoptotic and necrotic cells observed. Following 16-24 h of infection, HSV1 penetrated the basement membrane and replicated in the underlying lamina propria. Conclusions/Significance: This human explant model can be used to study virus-mucosa interactions and viral mucosal invasion mechanisms. Using this model, our results provide a novel insight into the HSV1 stromal invasion mechanism and for the first time directly demonstrate that HSV1 can penetrate the basement membrane