Where Does Tetrodotoxin Come from?

DESCRIPTION: Tetrodotoxin is an extremely potent poison (toxin) found mainly in the liver and sex organs (gonads) of some fish, such as puffer fish, globefish, and toadfish (order Tetraodontiformes) and in some amphibian, octopus, and shellfish species.

How is tetrodotoxin made?

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) and anhydrotetrodotoxin (easily converted to TTX) are produced by marine bacteria of the Vibrionaceae family and selectively block the action potentials of voltage-gated sodium channels along nerves, skeletal and cardiac muscle membranes. This occurs without change in the resting membrane potentials.

How do puffer fish produce tetrodotoxin?

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin responsible for many human intoxications and fatalities each year. The origin of TTX is unknown, but in the pufferfish, it seems to be produced by endosymbiotic bacteria that often seem to be passed down the food chain.