During a conversation with a friend, you tell him that you recently learned in your biology class that acetylcholine release by a motor neuron triggers an action potential in a muscle fiber, causing it to contract. Your friend tells you that he heard that Botox injections into facial muscles underlying the skin inhibit contraction of the muscles that cause a particular type of facial wrinkle. He asks how Botox does this. What will you tell him

Question

Johan Dickson

Biology

10 November, 14:39

During a conversation with a friend, you tell him that you recently learned in your biology class that acetylcholine release by a motor neuron triggers an action potential in a muscle fiber, causing it to contract. Your friend tells you that he heard that Botox injections into facial muscles underlying the skin inhibit contraction of the muscles that cause a particular type of facial wrinkle. He asks how Botox does this. What will you tell him

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Stanton · Answer 1

Botulinum toxin (Botox) is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and related species

Botulinum toxin commonly acts by binding to high-affinity recognition sites on the cholinergic nerve terminals and decreasing the release of acetylcholine, causing a neuromuscular blocking effect. Through this mechanism, muscle movement is inhibited in the area it is injected to.