Ionic mechanisms involved in the nodal swelling of myelinated axons caused by marine toxins

Abstract

This review describes the ionic mechanisms involved in the nodal swelling of frog myelinated axons caused by specific marine neurotoxins (ciguatoxins, brevetoxins, Conus consors toxin and equinatoxin-II), analysed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. We have focussed on toxins that either target neuronal voltage-dependent Na+ channels, or that form cation-selective pores and indirectly affect the functioning of the Na(+)-Ca(++)exchanger