Venom gland

Venom glands are a wide variety of salivary glands in insects and reptiles modified to produce venom and store it without harm to the organism itself.^[1]^[2]

Details

In reptiles the glands are characterized by their ability to synthesize venom, store venom for long periods of time, stabilize the venom while in the gland itself, and rapidly activate the toxin upon deployment from the gland.^[1] In insects however, specifically some parasitoid insects in the genus Hymenoptera, the venom gland has been shown to have additional functions such as the regulation of the immune response, paralysis, castration, and developmental alteration of the parasite's host.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b Mackessey, Stephen (April 1, 2022). "Venom production and secretion in reptiles". Journal of Experimental Biology. 225 (7). doi:10.1242/jeb.227348. PMID 35363854.
^ ^a ^b Cusumano, Antonino (February 22, 2018). "First extensive characterization of the venom gland from an egg parasitoid: structure, transcriptome and functional role". Journal of Insect Phisiology. 107: 68–80. doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.02.009.

[:0-1] Mackessey, Stephen (April 1, 2022). "Venom production and secretion in reptiles". Journal of Experimental Biology. 225 (7). doi:10.1242/jeb.227348. PMID 35363854.

[:1-2] Cusumano, Antonino (February 22, 2018). "First extensive characterization of the venom gland from an egg parasitoid: structure, transcriptome and functional role". Journal of Insect Phisiology. 107: 68–80. doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.02.009.

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