The Physiology of a Mosquito Bite

Client: Eric Calvo, Ph.D., Earl Stadtman Investigator and NIH Distinguished Scholar at NIAID

2018

Awards: Association of Medical illustrators, Award of merit in Didactic Medical Illustration, 2018

Depicted is the mosquito's six-part proboscis including two parallel tubes—the hypopharynx which sends saliva down into the bite site, and the labrum which sucks up blood and a small amount of saliva. Mosquito bites induce mast cell degranulation and secretion of 5HT, CysLT and ADP. Mosquito saliva contains pharmacologically active substances that prevent blood vessels from constricting, stop blood from clotting, inhibit platelet aggregation, and prevent inflammation.

About the image:

In basic research, it can be a challenge to describe the abstract associations in a process because the research findings are novel and often not visual. To create a single image that concisely summarized the findings, Ryan chose a highly rendered style to see both the vector and the micro-environment of the bite site. This image describes cellular and chemical changes at the bite site during blood feeding by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The drafts and final sketches were created in pencil and colored in Adobe Photoshop