Cephalotoxin: the Crab-paralysing Agent of the Posterior Salivary Glands of Cephalopods

Ghiretti, F.

doi:10.1038/1831192b0

Cited by 65 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Members of the family Octopodidae (which includes the speciose genus Octopus) are mainly benthic (Nixon and Young, 2003). Feeding by octopodids usually involves boring shells (Nixon, 1969(Nixon, , 1979a(Nixon, ,b, 1980Nixon et al, 1980;Nixon and Maconnachie, 1988), or piercing hard external skeletons, followed by injection of immobilizing saliva (Ghiretti, 1959(Ghiretti, , 1960Cariello and Zanetti, 1977) and the manipulation and mastication of tissue into smaller pieces (Altman and Nixon, 1970;Kear, 1994).…”

Section: Cephalopod Buccal Mass Gross Morphology and Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional morphology of the cephalopod buccal mass: A novel joint type

Uyeno

Kier

2005

J. Morphol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The arrangement of the musculature and connective tissues of the buccal mass of the coleoid cephalopods Octopus bimaculoides, Sepia officinalis, and Loliguncula brevis was examined using dissection and histology. Serial sections in three mutually perpendicular planes were used to identify the muscles and connective tissues responsible for beak movements and stability and to describe their morphology and fiber trajectories. Four major beak muscles were identified: the anterior, posterior, superior, and lateral mandibular muscles. The anterior, posterior, and superior mandibular muscles connect the upper beak and the lower beak. Although the lateral mandibular muscles originate on the upper beak, they do not connect to the lower beak and instead insert on a connective tissue sheath surrounding the buccal mass. Examination of the fibers of the lateral mandibular muscles reveals that they have the organization of a muscular hydrostat, with muscle fibers oriented in three mutually perpendicular orientations. Although the beaks are capable of complex opening, closing, and shearing movements, they do not contact one another and are instead connected only by the musculature of the buccal mass. Based on the morphological analysis and observations of freshly dissected beaks undergoing the stereotyped bite cycle, the functional role of the beak muscles is hypothesized. The anterior and superior mandibular muscles are likely responsible for beak closing and shearing movements. The posterior mandibular muscle is likely also involved in beak closing, but may act synergistically with the lateral mandibular muscles to open the beaks. The lateral mandibular muscles may use a muscular-hydrostatic mechanism to control the location of the pivot between the beaks and to generate the force required for beak opening. The lack of contact between the beaks and the morphology of the lateral mandibular muscles suggests that the buccal mass of coleoid cephalopods may represent a previously unexamined flexible joint mechanism. The term "muscle articulation" is proposed here to denote the importance of the musculature in the function of such a joint.

show abstract

Section: Cephalopod Buccal Mass Gross Morphology and Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional morphology of the cephalopod buccal mass: A novel joint type

Uyeno

Kier

2005

J. Morphol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The remarkable activity of this substance on frog skeletal muscle suggests that an analysis of its action may be of interest. Toxic proteins with marked effects on skeletal muscle have been found recently in the salivary gland of the octopus and cuttlefish (Ghiretti, 1959) and in bee venom (Neumann & Habermann, 1954). There may be a group of such toxic proteins with an action on skeletal muscle.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The distribution of 5‐hydroxytryptamine, tetramethylammonium, homarine, and other substances in sea anemones

Mathias¹,

Ross²,

Schächter³

1960

The Journal of Physiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many years ago Richet (1902, 1905) demonstrated the presence of several toxic substances in extracts of tentacles of sea anemones, the study of which incidentally led to the discovery of anaphylaxis. Although several attempts have been made to identify these substances (Richet, 1905; Richet & Portier, 1936;Sonderhoff, 1936), none has been successful. Ackermann, Holtz & Reinwein (1923), however, identified tetramethylammonium in a sea anemone but did not determine its contribution to the toxic properties of anemone extracts.The present experiments were undertaken in an attempt to identify thalassine, the pruritogenic substance in coelenterates (Richet, 1902(Richet, , 1905 which is also a potent histamine liberator (Jaques & Schachter, 1954).We soon found, however, that a number of distinct pharmacologically active substances were present in sea anemones, and proceeded to identify them. We have, in fact, identified and determined the distribution of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), histamine, and tetramethylammonium (TMA); we have also found and studied the properties of another potent substance, probably a protein, which produces a marked and maintained contracture of the frog rectus abdominis muscle and a quick contraction, or twitch, of the sartorius muscle. Thalassine, however, is probably not identical with any of these.In addition to the above pharmacologically active substances we identified the apparently inactive base, homarine (N-methyl picolinic acid betaine), in high concentrations in the tissues of all the sea anemones which we studied, and also in the Portuguese man-of-war, Physalia.Homarine, which we found in very high concentrations in some tissues, derived its name from the fact that it was discovered in the tissues of the lobster, Homarus vulgaris (Hoppe-Seyler, 1933).

show abstract

“…Octopus vulgaris) (30), also octopamine (p-hydroxyphenyl-ethanolamine) (32,33), and dopamine (Hartman et al 34). Ghiretti (35,36) has shown that none of these amines contributes signifi cantly to the toxicity of the saliva of Octopus vulgaris although they mimic the excitation that precedes paralysis in a poisoned crab.…”

Section: Histamine Histamine-releasers and Other Tertiary Aminesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In one of the most recent studies on the toxicity of the saliva deriving from the posterior salivary glands of cephalopods, Ghiretti (35,36) has de scribed the symptoms that follow the injection of a drop of the saliva of Octo pus vulgaris into a crab. Excitation is succeeded by flaccid paralysis.…”

Section: Protein Constituents Of Venomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition and Mode of Action of Some Invertebrate Venoms

Welsh¹

1964

Annu. Rev. Pharmacol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cephalotoxin: the Crab-paralysing Agent of the Posterior Salivary Glands of Cephalopods

Cited by 65 publications

References 3 publications

Functional morphology of the cephalopod buccal mass: A novel joint type

Functional morphology of the cephalopod buccal mass: A novel joint type

The distribution of 5‐hydroxytryptamine, tetramethylammonium, homarine, and other substances in sea anemones

Composition and Mode of Action of Some Invertebrate Venoms

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About