exotoxin
Germ-released toxin
Exotoxin is a toxic protein secreted by bacteria into surrounding tissue, as opposed to endotoxins that remain within bacterial cell walls.
Exotoxins cause many severe diseases: botulinum toxin paralyzes muscles, tetanus toxin causes lockjaw, diphtheria toxin destroys tissue.
The cholera exotoxin triggers severe dehydration.
Some exotoxins have medical uses—botulinum toxin is Botox.
Agent destroying cells
- botulinumParalysis-causing bacterial species
- diphtheriaBacterial throat membrane disease
- choleraBacterial disease causing fatal dehydration
- pertussisBacterial respiratory infection
staphylococcus · streptococcus · anthrax · plasmid · secreted · protein · virulence · pathogenesis
Bacterial food poisoning
- tetanusMuscle-stiffening bacterial disease
- diphtheriaBacterial throat membrane disease
- choleraBacterial disease causing fatal dehydration
- dysenteryBloody intestinal infection
sepsis · whooping-cough · gangrene · paralysis · toxemia · infection · symptoms · mortality
Signal-receiving molecule
- bindingLegally or morally required
- membraneThin tissue sheet
- pore-formingCreates passages through membranes
- enzymaticInvolving biological catalysts
signal · cascade · cellular · lysis · apoptosis · necrosis · disruption · thermolabile
Neutralized poison retaining immunogenicity
- vaccineDisease prevention injection
- antibodyProtein targeting foreign substances
- neutralizationCanceling opposing forces
- immunityProtected from harm
treatment · serum · prophylaxis · diagnosis · therapy · immunization · booster · antiserum
cytotoxin
Agent destroying cells
- botulinumParalysis-causing bacterial species
- diphtheriaBacterial throat membrane disease
- choleraBacterial disease causing fatal dehydration
pertussis · staphylococcus · streptococcus · anthrax · plasmid · secreted · protein · virulence · pathogenesis · toxoid
botulism
Bacterial food poisoning
- tetanusMuscle-stiffening bacterial disease
- diphtheriaBacterial throat membrane disease
- choleraBacterial disease causing fatal dehydration
dysentery · sepsis · whooping-cough · gangrene · paralysis · toxemia · infection · symptoms · mortality · morbidity
receptor
Signal-receiving molecule
- bindingLegally or morally required
- membraneThin tissue sheet
- pore-formingCreates passages through membranes
enzymatic · signal · cascade · cellular · lysis · apoptosis · necrosis · disruption · thermolabile · denaturation
toxoid
Neutralized poison retaining immunogenicity
- vaccineDisease prevention injection
- antibodyProtein targeting foreign substances
- neutralizationCanceling opposing forces
immunity · treatment · serum · prophylaxis · diagnosis · therapy · immunization · booster · antiserum
- "Exo-" wordsexoplanet, exosuit, exobiology, exosphere, exothermic
- hazardous substancescyanide, arsine, mustard gas, nerve gas, phosgene
- toxinsendotoxin, biotoxins, cytotoxin, hepatotoxin, cardiotoxin
- toxicologytoxicology, poison, venom, poisons, dose-response
- microbiologybacteria, bacterium, microbe, microbes, microorganisms
- Pathogenspathogen, germ, germs, bacteria, bacterium
toxic, intoxicated, toxin, intoxicate, intoxication, toxicity, detoxify, exoskeleton, antitoxin