Acetylcholinesterase

From Citizendium
Revision as of 07:00, 6 July 2024 by Suggestion Bot (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

In biochemistry, acetylcholinesterase is an "enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetylcholine to choline and acetate. In the CNS, this enzyme plays a role in the function of peripheral neuromuscular junctions."[1] It causes muscle, stimulated by acetylcholine, to relax.

Medical uses

Cholinesterase inhibitors may be used for the treatment of disorders of gastrointestinal tract, urinary bladder, the eye, skeletal muscles, and also dementia. Cholinesterase inhibitors may stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system.

Cholinesterase inhibition is the mechanism of toxicity of "nerve gas" chemical weapons and insecticides. Such poisoning is initially treated with atropine.

References