Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Bergen County Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health, 220 East Ridgewood Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652, USA.
Acta Trop. 2021 Mar;215:105818. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105818. Epub 2021 Jan 3.
Ticks are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites that feed on a large variety of vertebrates. In the laboratory, animals (mainly mice and rabbits) are used to maintain tick colonies. However, the use of animals to rear ticks can be expensive and requires dedicated animal facilities. In addition, research institutions are committed to the principle of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement), which encourages the use of alternatives to animals when possible. The development of artificial membrane systems has provided an alternative to animals, at least for some tick species. Over the years, different modifications in artificial feeding systems have led to new applications, including acaricide testing, tick-pathogen interaction, and novel approaches to study tick physiology. Although artificial membrane feeding still has some limitations, the method can provide numerous advantages, including the standardization of acaricide treatments under controlled conditions, an alternative to animals for tick rearing, and reduction of cost associated with animals and animal housing facilities. In this review, we summarized the evolution of tick feeding membranes and their applications over time, explaining the modifications incorporated to study tick physiology, tick-pathogen interactions, and acaricide testing.
蜱是专性吸血的外寄生虫，以多种脊椎动物为食。在实验室中，通常使用动物（主要是小鼠和兔子）来维持蜱虫群体。然而，使用动物来饲养蜱虫可能会很昂贵，并且需要专门的动物设施。此外，研究机构致力于 3R（替代、减少和优化）原则，鼓励在可能的情况下使用动物替代物。人工膜系统的发展为替代动物提供了一种选择，至少对于某些蜱种是如此。多年来，人工饲养系统的不同改进导致了新的应用，包括杀蜱剂测试、蜱传病原体相互作用以及研究蜱生理学的新方法。尽管人工膜饲养仍然存在一些限制，但该方法具有许多优点，包括在受控条件下标准化杀蜱剂处理、替代动物进行蜱虫饲养以及降低与动物和动物饲养设施相关的成本。在这篇综述中，我们总结了蜱虫饲养膜的演变及其随时间的应用，解释了为研究蜱虫生理学、蜱传病原体相互作用和杀蜱剂测试而进行的改进。
