: Despite being an insect, its innate immune system shows remarkable similarities to that of mammals, including specialized cells (hemocytes) that function like human neutrophils.
: It allows researchers to follow the "3Rs" principle (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) by replacing vertebrate animals in early-stage studies.
: Newer papers highlight its excellence in studying fungal infections and evaluating the effectiveness of new antifungal drug candidates.
mellonella 's use for a particular type of infection, such as or fungal pathogens?
: Because these larvae were historically sold as reptile food, recent research focuses on standardizing laboratory breeding to ensure reproducible results across different global labs.
: Unlike many other invertebrates, these larvae can survive at 37°C , which is the human body temperature, making them ideal for studying human pathogens like Candida albicans or Staphylococcus aureus .
