Indeed, this peculiar combination of signs was considered to be of diagnostic value. Interestingly, the unusual combination of basement membrane thickening and duplication was also detected in blood vessels of muscles of a myosclerosis patient carrying a mutation in the collagen VI a2 chain. This indicates that although Col6a1 null mice do not display an overt wound healing defect, some features seen in skin of collagen VI related myopathy patients are also present in Col6a1 null mice. These mice are therefore the most relevant animal model available to study mechanistic aspects of the skin pathology in collagen VI related disease. Despite concerns with negative impacts of chemical insecticides on human health, the use of these chemicals remains high. Consequently, the demand for alternatives is increased. Biological control of arthropod pests using entomopathogenic fungi is one promising alternative. Entomopathogenic fungi from the genus Metarhizium are some of the most frequently studied biological control agents for use against insects and ticks. The effects of DTXs on insects include: tetanic paralysis, inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis in insect cell lines, inhibition of Malpighian tubule fluid secretion, blocking H + ATPase activity, and suppression of insect defense responses. DTXs also have antifeedant and repellent properties. The SJN 2511 ALK inhibitor insecticidal potential of these toxins has been confirmed in numerous reports of acute toxicity. Despite demonstrated insecticidal activity of DTX, Donzelli et al. showed that a Metarhizium robertsii mutant with disrupted DTX synthetases was as virulent as the wild type strain when fungus conidia were topically applied to insect larvae. This supports the conclusions of a previous report that Metarhizium spp. isolates could be pathogenic for insects whether they had the ability to produce in vitro DTXs or not. Although these compounds have been detected in moribund, infected hosts, DTXs reportedly have little or no impact on virulence as SCH772984 side effects measured in whole-insect bioassays. DTXs also have negative effects on insect behavior, for example inducing phagodepression and repellence.