EXTRACELLULAR TOXIN Meaning and
Definition
-
An extracellular toxin, also known as an exotoxin, is an extremely harmful substance produced and released by certain bacteria or other microorganisms into the surrounding environment. This type of toxin is usually a protein or a protein complex that is synthesized within the bacterial cell and then transported outside of the cell to exert its toxic effects on the host organism.
Extracellular toxins are highly potent and can affect various cellular processes or target specific tissues and organs in the host organism. They can disrupt the normal functioning of cells, destroy cell membranes, interfere with immune system responses, or cause damage to vital organs. The effects of extracellular toxins can range from mild to severe, depending on the type and concentration of the toxin, as well as the susceptibility of the host organism.
These toxins often have specific mechanisms of action and target particular cell types or components. Some extracellular toxins act by interfering with specific enzymes, receptors, or signaling pathways, while others may disrupt the structural integrity of cells or tissues. Examples of extracellular toxins include neurotoxins, which damage the nervous system, enterotoxins, which affect the gastrointestinal tract, and cytotoxins, which destroy cells.
Understanding the mode of action of extracellular toxins is crucial in developing strategies for diagnosing, preventing, and treating the infections caused by toxin-producing microorganisms.
-
Exotoxin, a t. excreted by a bacterial cell; it is soluble in water, uncrystallizable, precipitable by alcohol, and thermolabile; it is capable, within the animal organism, of exciting the production of a specific antitoxin; according to the side-chain theory a toxin molecule has two atomic groups: the toxophore, which is the poisonous element, and the haptophore, which anchors it to the cell upon which it acts; substances of a character similar to the exotoxins are produced by certain animals (zootoxin) and plants (phytotoxin); the extracellular toxins are analogous to the ferments and it has been suggested that they are specific ferments (themselves non-toxic), by the action of which certain of the albumoses of the animal body are changed into highly poisonous compounds-the true toxins; according to this theory the extracellular product of the bacteria is called primary toxin, the product of its enzymic action upon the albumoses of the host, secondary toxin.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for EXTRACELLULAR TOXIN
- wxtracellular toxin
- sxtracellular toxin
- dxtracellular toxin
- rxtracellular toxin
- 4xtracellular toxin
- 3xtracellular toxin
- eztracellular toxin
- ectracellular toxin
- edtracellular toxin
- estracellular toxin
- exrracellular toxin
- exfracellular toxin
- exgracellular toxin
- exyracellular toxin
- ex6racellular toxin
- ex5racellular toxin
- exteacellular toxin
- extdacellular toxin
- extfacellular toxin
- exttacellular toxin
Etymology of EXTRACELLULAR TOXIN
The etymology of the word "extracellular toxin" can be understood by examining the roots of the individual words.
1. Extracellular:
- The prefix "extra-" originates from the Latin word "extra", meaning "outside" or "beyond".
- The word "cellular" has its roots in the Latin word "cellula", which refers to a small room or a compartment.
Combining these roots, "extracellular" describes something that is outside or beyond a cell, typically in the context of the cellular environment.
2. Toxin:
- The word "toxin" is derived from the Greek word "toxon", which means "arrow".
- In ancient Greece, arrows were commonly coated with poisonous substances.
Over time, the word "toxin" has come to refer to any harmful substance that is produced or derived from living organisms. These toxins can cause various detrimental effects on cells or organisms.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
