Pseudocholinesterase (PChE), also known as plasma cholinesterase, is a serine hydrolase capable of hydrolyzing esters including acetylcholine, succinylcholine, mivacurium and ester type local anesthetics such as procaine, chloroprocaine, tetracaine, cocaine and heroin. PChE is synthesized by the liver, and is found in the plasma, the pancreas, the heart and the brain. It has a serum half life o...

Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release, through the ryanodine receptor (RyR), is essential for the systolic Ca transient and thus the cardiac contractile function. The aim of this study was to examine the effects on the spatial organization of the systolic Ca transient of depressing RyR open probability (Po) with tetracaine or intracellular acidification. Voltage-clamped, fluo-3–loaded myocytes...