Cell toxin

Use of optical fiber biosensors for real-time detection of biowarfare agents (BWA) especially those of bacterial cells, toxins, or spores in the air, soil, or environment has been investigated by the Naval Research Laboratory (Taitt et al, 2005). In addition, many laboratories are also employing fiber optic biosensors for detection of wide varieties of foodbome pathogens, which are discussed below. 

Toxin enters into the circulatory (or lymphatic) system by an unknown mechanism. The ability of BoNTs to traverse endothelial bamiers has not been investigated however, large molecules are known to escape blood vessels by diffusion between cells. Toxin must escape the vasculature to reach its target at cholinergic sites. 

Tubular cell toxicity This involves the cellular transport systems mentioned previously and is thus dose dependent to a degree. Examples of tubular cell toxins include aminoglycosides, calcineurin inhibitors, amphotericin, antiviral agents, cisplatin, methotrexate, contrast agents and cocaine. 

Conjugated monoclonal antibodies can be used as carriers of toxic therapy, such as radionuclides, (e.g., yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan and iodine-131 tositumomab), cytotoxic drugs, or cell toxins to specific cell targets. They are also being employed to create tumor vaccines by stimulating a host antibody reaction causing the production of anti-idiotype antibodies. 

It has recently been discovered that some of the excitant amino acids and their analogues, such as kainlc acid, are nerve cell toxins. That is, when administered to immature animals, either glutamate or aspartate causes degeneration of retinal and hypothalamic cells and, when injected into brain, kainic acid causes irreversible destruction of virtually all neuronal cell bodies around the injection site. These discoveries may be of immense importance N CH2 CH(NH2) COOH with respect to understanding the etiology... 

The blood cell toxins have a specific effect upon only one blood cell, the red blood cell (RBC) or erythrocyte. They cause the rupture of erythrocytes (haemolysis). This is clearly a very undesirable eventuality, which in its own right would result in death. However it is difficult to decide whether this property of several of the snake toxins is particularly important from the point of view of their fatality potential, because it is slow and it is very likely that one of the other toxins in the venom would have killed the unfortimate recipient before the haemolytic toxin had a chance to exert its effect. 

Toxin Profile and Toxin Content (Cell Toxin Quota).268... 

TOXIN PROFILE AND TOXIN CONTENT (CELL TOXIN QUOTA)... 

The toxin profile is defined here as the relative contribution (percentage) of different toxins to the overall toxin content or cell toxin quota of a species or a strain. Toxin content or cell toxin quota is... 

Pizarro, G. et al.. Growth, behaviour and cell toxin quota of Dinophysis acuta Ehrenberg during a daily cycle. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser, in press, 2007. 

Ciguatoxins bind to sodium channels and open them at normal cell resting membrane potentials. This results in an influx of sodium ions, cell depolarization, and the appearance of spontaneous action potentials in excitable cells. Toxins that activate the sodium channels through an allosteric mechanism can enhance this influx of sodium ions. Louzao et al. ° and Manger et proposed... 

Ives, J.D. 1985. The relationship between Gonyaulax tamarensis cell toxin levels and copepod ingestion rates. In Toxic Dinoflagellates. Proc. 3rd Int. Conf., eds. D.M. Anderson, A.W. White D.G. Baden, pp. 413-418, Elsevier, New York. 

Han, B., Gross, H., Goeger, D.E., Mooberry, S.L., and Gerwick, W.H. (2006) Aurilides B and C, cancer cell toxins from a Papua New Guinea collection of the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula. 

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