Biomaterial Database

Effect of toxin 1 from Androctonus australis Hector on sodium currents in giant axons of Loligo forbesi. 1984

Y Pichon, and M Pelhate

The effects of external application of micromolar concentrations of toxin 1 of the scorpion, Androctonus australis Hector, on the sodium conductance of squid giant axons have been studied quantitatively using the voltage clamp technique. Toxin concentrations which induce long plateau action potentials under current clamp conditions were found to simultaneously decrease the peak conductance and increase the delayed sodium conductance. Return to holding potential level after step depolarizations was accompanied by large exponential tails of current. The toxin-induced maintained sodium conductance increased with membrane depolarization independently of the peak conductance. Depolarizing conditioning prepulses to - 30 mV were found to almost totally inactivate the peak sodium current but to leave the delayed conductance unaffected. This property was taken as an indication that the total current is made of the added contributions of two distinct populations on sodium channels : fast activating and inactivating channels and slow activating channels. These two channel populations were separated from each other and analysed. It was found that the fast channels were almost identical to normal channels whereas the slow channels had a much slower (nearly exponential) kinetics and activated for more positive values of membrane potential. These observations strongly support the second hypothesis of Gillespie and Meves (1980) that the peak conductance and maintained conductance reflect the existence of two separate populations of channels. They further indicate that slow channels probably originate from the modification by the toxin of normal voltage-sensitive channels.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007473	Ion Channels	Gated, ion-selective glycoproteins that traverse membranes. The stimulus for ION CHANNEL GATING can be due to a variety of stimuli such as LIGANDS, a TRANSMEMBRANE POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE, mechanical deformation or through INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING PEPTIDES AND PROTEINS.	Membrane Channels,Ion Channel,Ionic Channel,Ionic Channels,Membrane Channel,Channel, Ion,Channel, Ionic,Channel, Membrane,Channels, Ion,Channels, Ionic,Channels, Membrane
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D009498	Neurotoxins	Toxic substances from microorganisms, plants or animals that interfere with the functions of the nervous system. Most venoms contain neurotoxic substances. Myotoxins are included in this concept.	Alpha-Neurotoxin,Excitatory Neurotoxin,Excitotoxins,Myotoxin,Myotoxins,Neurotoxin,Alpha-Neurotoxins,Excitatory Neurotoxins,Excitotoxin,Alpha Neurotoxin,Alpha Neurotoxins,Neurotoxin, Excitatory,Neurotoxins, Excitatory
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001369	Axons	Nerve fibers that are capable of rapidly conducting impulses away from the neuron cell body.	Axon
D012604	Scorpion Venoms	Venoms from animals of the order Scorpionida of the class Arachnida. They contain neuro- and hemotoxins, enzymes, and various other factors that may release acetylcholine and catecholamines from nerve endings. Of the several protein toxins that have been characterized, most are immunogenic.	Scorpion Toxin,Scorpion Toxins,Scorpion Venom Peptide,Tityus serrulatus Venom,Scorpion Venom,alpha-Scorpion Toxin,beta-Scorpion Toxin,gamma-Scorpion Toxin,Peptide, Scorpion Venom,Toxin, Scorpion,Toxin, alpha-Scorpion,Toxin, beta-Scorpion,Venom Peptide, Scorpion,Venom, Scorpion,Venom, Tityus serrulatus,alpha Scorpion Toxin,beta Scorpion Toxin,gamma Scorpion Toxin
D012964	Sodium	A member of the alkali group of metals. It has the atomic symbol Na, atomic number 11, and atomic weight 23.	Sodium Ion Level,Sodium-23,Ion Level, Sodium,Level, Sodium Ion,Sodium 23
D049832	Decapodiformes	A superorder of CEPHALOPODS comprised of squid, cuttlefish, and their relatives. Their distinguishing feature is the modification of their fourth pair of arms into tentacles, resulting in 10 limbs.	Cuttlefish,Illex,Sepiidae,Squid,Todarodes,Cuttlefishs,Decapodiforme,Illices,Squids,Todarode
D066298	In Vitro Techniques	Methods to study reactions or processes taking place in an artificial environment outside the living organism.	In Vitro Test,In Vitro Testing,In Vitro Tests,In Vitro as Topic,In Vitro,In Vitro Technique,In Vitro Testings,Technique, In Vitro,Techniques, In Vitro,Test, In Vitro,Testing, In Vitro,Testings, In Vitro,Tests, In Vitro,Vitro Testing, In