Overview
- Highlights the crucial importance of marine toxins as research tools and potential drugs
Part of the book series: Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology (PMSB, volume 46)
Part of the book sub series: Marine Molecular Biotechnology (MMB)
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About this book
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.
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Keywords
Table of contents (8 chapters)
Reviews
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)
Editors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Marine Toxins as Research Tools
Editors: Nobuhiro Fusetani, William Kem
Series Title: Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-87895-7
Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg
eBook Packages: Chemistry and Materials Science, Chemistry and Material Science (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-540-87892-6Published: 09 February 2009
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-642-09968-7Published: 18 November 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-3-540-87895-7Published: 31 January 2009
Series ISSN: 0079-6484
Series E-ISSN: 2197-8484
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIV, 259
Topics: Biotechnology, Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology, Pharmacology/Toxicology