Where is the toxin located in a tick? - briefly
The toxin is produced in the tick’s salivary glands and delivered to the host through saliva during feeding.
Where is the toxin located in a tick? - in detail
The toxic substances that enable blood feeding are synthesized and stored primarily in the tick’s salivary apparatus. The salivary glands consist of several paired lobes that contain distinct secretory acini. Type II acini house granules packed with anticoagulants, anti‑inflammatory proteins, and immunomodulatory peptides. These granules release their contents into the salivary duct during the blood‑meal, allowing direct injection into the host through the feeding canal.
A secondary reservoir exists in the accessory salivary glands, where additional enzymes and pharmacologically active molecules are produced. These glands connect to the main salivary duct, ensuring a continuous supply of toxins throughout the attachment period.
The mouthparts—chelicerae and the hypostome—function solely as mechanical devices; they do not contain toxin stores. However, the hypostome’s barbed structure creates a stable channel that guides saliva from the glands into the host’s tissue, facilitating toxin delivery.
In some species, the midgut epithelium can accumulate metabolic by‑products that act as toxic agents against competing microorganisms, but these compounds are not involved in host manipulation and are not released during feeding.
Summarized locations: