Research Gallery
Binding of botulinum neurotoxin type B to rat neurons.
Botulinum toxins are potent bacterial poisons which block acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction resulting in muscle paralysis. To better understand how these toxins function, cultures of rat hippocampal neurons were incubated for 2 hours in the presence of botulinum neurotoxin type B. Cells were subsequently fixed and decorated using a botulinum neurotoxin specific antibody conjugated to a fluorescent dye. Images of toxin binding to neurons were captured using an epifluorescence microscope and CCD camera.
bacteria
