Apamin (CAS 24345-16-2)

Apamin is the only polypeptide neurotoxin that is known to pass the blood-brain barrier. Comprises about 2% by weight of the dried venom of the honey bee. It is a potent (1-10 nM) and highly selective inhibitor of the low conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel. Acts on the central nervous system.

Apamin (CAS 24345-16-2) is a synthetic research peptide in the apamin/KCa2 family. The product specification above defines the supplied peptide form and any stated modifications. Apamin is a bee-venom peptide toxin used as a high-affinity pharmacological probe of small-conductance Ca2+-activated potassium (KCa2/SK) channels.

• receptor or binding assays
• competition experiments
• enzymatic-processing studies
• antibody or antigen controls
• analytical method development
• LC-MS/HPLC reference work
• comparative structure-activity experiments

Because this product may be a fragment, substituted analog, stereochemical variant, or terminally modified form, its activity should not be assumed to be identical to the native parent peptide. Peptide solubility, aggregation, adsorption to surfaces, and stability can vary with sequence, concentration, pH, ionic strength, and terminal modifications, so assay-specific reconstitution and storage conditions should be validated experimentally.

1. Determinants of apamin block in small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (PMID 9287325).
2. Functional inhibition and binding for KCa2 channel blockers (PMID 24039913).