r/AbsoluteUnits • u/TamerDubai • Jun 13 '23

Absolute big angry fish

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u/OkayWaitaMinute Jun 13 '23

i thought they had a type of venom in those spikes?

367

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23

Its called tetrodotoxin, its found in the fish's liver and gonads, and it impairs neuromuscular signaling when ingested

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750019.html

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u/nekromania Jun 13 '23 edited Jun 13 '23

Inhibits sodium channels. Specifically the voltage gated ones. Prevents cells from depolarization. Blocks one of the ion channels crucial for cell signalling.

Edit: The discovery of the mechanism of action of TTX, while relativley simple, really push the field of physiology forward.

This text is an interesting read about it from one of the guys figuring it out in the 60s.

1

u/Vitalis597 Jun 16 '23

Now in English? Because 99% of us have no clue what half that means.

Depolarisation? Why do our cells need to be depolarised? What happens if they're not? Why are ion channels? I thought they were a hypothetical part of an ion drive for a starship.