Toxicology
Venom is produced by glands in the cephalothorax, and expelled venom travels through paired ducts from the cephalothorax, exiting through the tip of the spider's hollow fangs. The venom of the redback spider is thought to be similar to other Latrodectus spiders, and contains a number of high-molecular-weight proteins, one of which, alpha-latrotoxin (a neurotoxin), is active in humans. In vertebrates, alpha-latrotoxin produces its effect through destabilization of cell membranes and degranulation of nerve terminals, resulting in the release of neurotransmitters; it causes uncontrolled release of acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and GABA. The release of these neurotransmitters leads to the clinical manifestations of envenomation. At concentrations of 200 ng/ml, the venom also deforms human red blood cells, an effect common to the venom of bees, the blue-ringed octupus, and a range of snakes.
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