▁to x ins ▁comprom ises ▁the ▁tum or ▁suppress ive ▁functions ▁of ▁the ▁E - c ad her in – c aten in ▁system ▁in ▁ep ith el ial ▁cells . ▁ ▁Function ▁Din ot ox ins ▁are ▁produced ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁intent ional ▁reasons ; ▁either ▁to ▁aid ▁in ▁pred ation ▁or ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁a ▁defense ▁against ▁pred ation . ▁To x ins ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁produced ▁as ▁an ▁un intent ional ▁by product ▁due ▁to ▁met abol ic ▁processes ▁that ▁takes ▁place ▁within ▁the ▁organ ism . ▁ ▁Gen et ics ▁The ▁mole cular ▁gen et ics ▁of ▁din ot ox in ▁synth esis ▁is ▁not ▁widely ▁understood , ▁but ▁the ▁poly ket ide ▁path way ▁involving ▁poly ket ide ▁synth ase ▁( P KS ) ▁is ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁din ot ox ins . ▁The ▁to x ins ▁released ▁by ▁din of lag ell ates ▁commonly ▁include ▁sul f ated ▁pol ys ac char ides . ▁One ▁common ▁to x in , ▁sa x ito x in , ▁blocks ▁sod ium ▁ ions ▁from ▁moving ▁through ▁sod ium ▁channels ▁on ▁cell ▁memb ran es . ▁ ▁App lications ▁Din ot ox ins ▁are ▁high - value ▁to x ins ▁in ▁multiple ▁fields ▁of ▁work ▁such ▁as ▁chemical ▁research , ▁to xic ological , ▁and ▁bi omed ical . ▁ ▁An ▁economic ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁sea fo od ▁industry ▁has ▁made ▁these ▁to x ins ▁of ▁higher ▁interest ▁to ▁scient ists . ▁Stud ying