BACKGROUND Several thiocholine alkanoyl esters were newly synthesized and explored as substrates for the assay of human serum cholinesterase after being subjected to the Ellman reaction (Arch Biochem Biophys 1958;74:443-50 and Arch Biochem Biophys 1959;82:70-7). METHODS We synthesized thiocholine ester iodides by the method of Renshow et al. (J Am Chem Soc 1938;60:1765-70). We examined solubi...

The electroplaques composing the electric organ of the eel, Electrophorus electricus, have been utilized for the dual purpose of demonstrating the subcellular sites of acetylcholinesterase activity and as a model for comparison of the several cytochemical methods available. Fresh tissue and tissue fixed by immersion in formalin, hydroxyadipaldehyde, or glutaraldehyde was reacted with the Cu-thi...

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an important cholinesterase enzyme present in the synaptic clefts of living organisms. It maintains the levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by catalyzing the hydrolysis reaction of acetylcholine to thiocholine. This catalytic activity of AChE is drastically inhibited by trace amounts of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides present in the environment. As a res...

The degeneration of acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve fibers in 11 canine renal autotransplants was investigated with the thiocholine method of Karnovsky and Roots as modified for cryostat sections. Seven renal hila were also examined by silver impregnation and thiocholine techniques. Total denervation was demonstrated in only 3 of 11 autotransplants; the other 8 showed variable degrees of de...

A simple ultraviolet method has been developed for determining serum or plasma cholinesterase activity. The cholinesterase acts on acetylor butyrylthiocholine to release thiocholine, which reacts with 2,2’or 4,4’-dithiodipyridine, showing absorbance at 324 or 343 nm, respectively. The activity can be measured kinetically and alsoafter incubation for 3 to 5 mm at 20#{176} to 37#{176}C. A volume ...

The principal role of acetylcholinesterase is termination of nerve impulse transmission at cholinergic synapses, by rapid hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to acetate and choline. Its active site is buried at the bottom of a deep and narrow gorge, at the rim of which is found a second anionic site, the peripheral anionic site. The fact that the active site is so deeply buried has...

A comparison between several immobilization materials of AChE on surface of glassy carbon electrode(GCE) was presented. The immobilization methods employed crosslinking method with glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent and bovine serum albumin(BSA) as a protectant, AChE was immobilized on different membranes including nylon membrane, cellulose nitrate membrane and chitosan membrane respective...