Marine Toxins as Research Tools

Marine organisms produce a wide array of toxins, many of which are not only structurally unusual, but also show potent and interesting modes of action. Since the discovery of tetrodotoxin, a pufferfish toxin, as a potent and selective blocker of Na+ channels in 1964, it has been widely used as a research tool in pharmacological and physiological research. This has led to the identification of a number of important biological functions for Na+ channels. In recent years, much biological research has been carried out at molecular and cellular levels, and therefore selective inhibitors of enzymes and selective antagonist/agonists of receptors and channels have become increasingly important research tools. Accordingly, interest in using such compounds as reagents has increased. Marine toxins are some of the most popular research tools and have already contributed much to our understanding of biological processes and disease mechanisms.

• Glutamat
• biological functions
• drug discovery
• marine organisms
• marine toxins
• protein

From the reviews:

"This book covers the possibilities of marine toxins, potent bioactive compounds, as tools for research based on the large diversity of chemical structures, biochemical targets, and biological effects of this wide group. … The book is a must for any Ph.D. student in biomedical sciences. … Marine toxins as research tools is a unique book that defines the links between marine toxins and their biochemical targets. … the book will help any researcher in biomedicine by showing what to expect from marine toxins." (Luis M. Botana, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, September, 2009)

• Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Japan

  Nobuhiro Fusetani

• Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

  William Kem

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