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  • Title: Transmitter release and presynaptic Ca2+ currents blocked by the spider toxin omega-Aga-IVA.
    Author: Protti DA, Uchitel OD.
    Journal: Neuroreport; 1993 Dec 13; 5(3):333-6. PubMed ID: 7905295.
    Abstract:
    Mammalian neuromuscular transmission is resistant to L and N type calcium channel blockers but very sensitive to a low molecular weight funnel web spider venom toxin, FTX, which selectively blocks P type calcium channels. To further characterize the calcium channels involved in neuromuscular transmission we studied the effect of omega Agatoxin (omega-Aga-IVA) a polypeptide P type channel blocker from the same spider venom. We show that omega-Aga-IVA is a potent and irreversible inhibitor of the presynaptic Ca2+ currents and of acetylcholine release induced by electrical stimulation or by K+ depolarization. This provides further evidences that transmitter release at the mammalian neuromuscular junction is mediated by P type Ca2+ channels.
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