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Toxins are vital in ecological interactions, serving as tools for predation and defense in various species like snakes, spiders, and Cone snails. Despite their potential harm to humans, toxins are crucial in scientific research, aiding in the study of physiological and pharmacological processes such as synaptic transmission and ion channel subtypes (1).
The use of toxins as experimental tools in physiology has a rich history. In the 1800s, Claude Bernard utilized curare to demonstrate the existence of chemical signaling between nerves and muscles (2).
Similarly, Henry Dale employed muscarine and nicotine to reveal different subtypes of receptors for acetylcholine (3).
Snake toxins have played a pivotal role in the field, particularly in the first isolation of a receptor for a neurotransmitter. The use of a-bungarotoxin was instrumental in isolating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) (4).
In recent times, peptide toxins have proven invaluable in elucidating the functional significance of various subtypes of ion channels, which are crucial for neuronal function and cellular signaling (5, 6, 7).
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see also:
Snake Venoms
Sodium Channel voltage-gated
Spider toxins