Journal of Neurocytology

, Volume 15, Issue 5, pp 573–583 | Cite as

Acute stages of batrachotoxin-induced neuropathy: a morphologic study of a sodium-channel toxin

  • G. R. Wayne Moore
  • Roland J. Boegman
  • David M. Robertson
  • Cedric S. Raine
Article
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Summary

The acute effects of batrachotoxin, a steroidal neurotoxin which opens the membrane sodium channel, were observed morphologically at various time points up to 3 h after injection into rat peroneal nerve. Three changes were found. First, there was massive swelling of the axon at the node of Ranvier accompanied by retraction of paranodal myelin. Second, a similar swelling of unmyelinated axons was seen. Third, extracellular fluid accumulated along the internode in the adaxonal space, the intraperiod line of myelin and, rarely, the external mesaxon, with concomitant shrinkage of the axon. The first two changes might be explained on the basis of massive shift of sodium through the batrachotoxin-modified sodium channel into the axon and subsequent osmotic shift of fluid. The reason for the third change is not clear but probably also has a ionic basis.

Keywords

Sodium Neuropathy Sodium Channel Morphologic Study Acute Effect 
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Copyright information

© Chapman and Hall Ltd. 1986

Authors and Affiliations

  • G. R. Wayne Moore
    • 1
  • Roland J. Boegman
    • 3
  • David M. Robertson
    • 4
  • Cedric S. Raine
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Pathology (Neuropathology) and The Rose F. Kennedy Center for Research in Mental Retardation and Human DevelopmentAlbert Einstein College of MedicineThe BronxUSA
  2. 2.Department of Neuroscience, and The Rose F. Kennedy Center for Research in Mental Retardation and Human DevelopmentAlbert Einstein College of MedicineThe BronxUSA
  3. 3.Departments of Pharmacology and ToxicologyQueen's UniversityKingstonCanada
  4. 4.Department of PathologyQueen's UniversityKingstonCanada

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