Tentative Identification of the Tetanus Toxin Receptor in Nervous Tissue

Abstract

SUMMARY: The tetanus toxin receptr in nervous tissue appears to be a ganglioside (mucolipid, strandin, containing: fatty acid, sphingosine, glucose, galactose, acetylgalactosamine, acetylneuraminic acid and amino acid (?) residues). The water-soluble ganglioside occurs in ervous tissue in the form of labile water-insoluble complexes with cerebrosides and sphingomyelines. The solubility of the complexes in water increases with increasing ganglioside content, but decreases when calcium is incorporated. Standing with ganglioside inactivates the toxin.