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Aedes aegypti mosquito

Closeup of Aedes aegypti mosquito (mostly black in color with white stripes on thorax and legs) on skin, beginning to pierce skin with proboscis.

The channels that link insect cells, known as gap junctions, control a wide array of biological functions. Biologists are exploring gap junctions as potential targets for new insecticides. For example, research has shown that compounds such as carbenoxolone and meclofenamic acid that are inhibitors of gap junctions can successfully inhibit critical gap-junction proteins called innexins in yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes agypti). A new review in Annals of the Entomological Society of America examines existing knowledge and future directions for this line of research across insects. (Photo by Johan Pretorius on iNaturalist, CC BY-NC 4.0)

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