Tick cell lines: tools for tick and tick-borne disease research

Over 40 cell lines are currently available from 13 ixodid and one argasid tick species. The successful isolation and propagation of several economically important tick-borne pathogens in tick cell lines has created a useful model to study interactions between tick cells and these viral and bacterial disease agents. Tick cell lines have already proved to be a useful tool in helping to define the complex nature of the host-vector-pathogen relationship. With the availability of genomics tools, tick cell lines will become increasingly important as a complement to tick and tick-borne disease research in vivo once genetic transformation and gene silencing using RNA interference become routine.
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Publication
Contributors
Bell-Sakyi L, Zweygarth E, Blouin E F, Gould E A, Jongejan F
Year
2007
Journal
Trends in Parasitology
Volume
23
Issue
9
Pages
450-7
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