Blockade of the action potential in the electrocyte of Electrophorus electricus by histrionicotoxin
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Histrionicotoxin (Htx) blocks the directly evoked action potential of the electroplax. This blockade is concentration, use-, -and pH-dependent. Htx antagonizes the effects of batrachotoxin (Btx), indicating that it acts on the action potential sodium channels. The pH-dependency of the effect of Htx on the synapse is different from that on the directly evoked action potential; at the synapse, Htx is more potent at pH 7.0 than at pH 8.8, while at the conducting membrane, its potency is higher at pH 8.5 than at pH 6.4.
The effect of Htx on the electroplax is very similar to that of local anesthetics, with three exceptions: a) The stronger effect of basic pH on the conducting membrane. b) The use-dependency of the blockade of the action potential. The prolongation of the action potential at low concentrations.
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