Fig. 5: Hypothesized model of antiviral apoptosis in the Aedes aegypti midgut.

a RIA of infected cells in the midgut epithelium within 2 hours of an infected blood meal arrests viral replication before progeny virions can be produced and suppresses infection. The clustered appearance of apoptotic cells may be caused by pro-apoptotic signaling to neighboring cells. b At later timepoints post infection, when infection is widespread throughout the midgut and progeny virions are being produced, death of infected cells may facilitate release of virions from cells and/or from the midgut by degrading the integrity of the epithelium and basal lamina.