INTRACELLULAR TOXIN Meaning and
Definition
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Intracellular toxin refers to a toxic substance that is produced or enters a living cell and exerts its harmful effects from within the cell. These toxins can be either produced by the cell itself or introduced from external sources. They are generally small molecules that target specific cellular components or processes, disrupting normal cellular functions.
Intracellular toxins can be classified into two main categories: endogenous toxins and exogenous toxins. Endogenous toxins are those that are naturally produced within the cell as part of its normal metabolic processes. These can include metabolic byproducts, reactive oxygen species, and abnormal protein aggregates. Exogenous toxins, on the other hand, are those that are acquired from outside the cell. They can be introduced through various means such as bacterial or viral infections, environmental exposure to toxic compounds, or the ingestion of harmful substances.
Once inside the cell, intracellular toxins can have detrimental effects on the cell's structure and function. They can interfere with essential cellular processes like energy production, protein synthesis, DNA replication, and cell signaling. This disruption often leads to cellular dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and even cell death.
Understanding intracellular toxins is crucial for the development of strategies to mitigate their harmful effects. Researchers can study their mechanisms of action and identify potential therapeutic targets to counteract their toxicity. Additionally, studying intracellular toxins can provide insights into the pathogenesis of various diseases and help in the development of novel treatments targeting specific cellular pathways affected by these toxins.
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Endotoxin, a specific poisonous substance formed and retained within the bacterial cell, which exerts a poisonous action upon the animal cells only when freed by the disintegration (bacteriolysis) of the bacteria; it differs somewhat from an exotoxin in its resistance to heat, being in general more thermostabile.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for INTRACELLULAR TOXIN
- untracellular toxin
- jntracellular toxin
- kntracellular toxin
- ontracellular toxin
- 9ntracellular toxin
- 8ntracellular toxin
- ibtracellular toxin
- imtracellular toxin
- ijtracellular toxin
- ihtracellular toxin
- inrracellular toxin
- infracellular toxin
- ingracellular toxin
- inyracellular toxin
- in6racellular toxin
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- inteacellular toxin
- intdacellular toxin
- intfacellular toxin
- inttacellular toxin
Etymology of INTRACELLULAR TOXIN
The etymology of the word "intracellular toxin" can be broken down as follows:
1. "Intra-" is a prefix derived from Latin, meaning "within" or "inside".
2. "Cellular" is an adjective formed from the noun "cell", which comes from the Latin word "cellula", meaning "small room" or "cell".
3. "Toxin" derives from the Late Latin word "toxicum", which was a noun meaning "poison". This term was borrowed from the Greek word "toxikon" (meaning "poison for arrows").
Combining these elements, "intracellular toxin" refers to a poison or harmful substance that is present or acts within the interior of a cell.
