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Related Concept Videos

Cholinesterases: Distribution and Function01:22

Cholinesterases: Distribution and Function

Cholinesterases are a group of serine hydrolase enzymes that play a crucial role in the breakdown of choline esters. The two primary types of cholinesterases are acetylcholinesterases (AChEs) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChEs), which differ in their distribution, function, and substrate specificity. AChEs, also known as true cholinesterases, specifically hydrolyze acetylcholine, while BuChEs, often referred to as pseudocholinesterases, can hydrolyze various choline esters, including...
Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment01:26

Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment

Anticholinesterases, also known as cholinesterase inhibitors, work by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, leading to its accumulation in the synaptic cleft. This accumulation indirectly enhances both muscarinic and nicotinic actions. These agents are classified as reversible or irreversible based on their mechanism of action.     
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is slower than the...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions01:30

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists, also known as anticholinesterases, exert their pharmacological effects by enhancing cholinergic transmission in various body parts, including the neuromuscular junction, autonomic cholinergic synapses, and the brain.
At the neuromuscular junction, these agents work by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, allowing it to remain bound to the receptor and bind to nearby receptors. This process leads to repetitive firing of the endplate, causing muscle...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacokinetics01:22

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacokinetics

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists, or anticholinesterases, enhance the body's cholinergic activity by inhibiting acetylcholine's breakdown. They are categorized as reversible or irreversible agents based on their mechanism of action. They are further classified into short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting agents based on their duration of action.
Reversible agents containing quaternary amines, such as neostigmine and edrophonium, are not easily absorbed orally because they are...
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Mechanism of Action01:18

Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Mechanism of Action

Indirect-acting cholinergic agonists work by interacting with an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic cleft. They can be reversible or irreversible inhibitors and have different effects on the enzyme.
Reversible inhibitors like edrophonium bind to a specific part of the enzyme called the anionic catalytic site. They form noncovalent bonds, which means they are not strongly attached to the enzyme. This creates a temporary and less stable enzyme–inhibitor complex, leading to...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacokinetics01:31

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacokinetics

Direct-acting cholinergic agonists, such as synthetic choline esters and naturally occurring alkaloids, exert their effects by enhancing the actions of acetylcholine and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. Synthetic choline esters share structural similarities with acetylcholine. For example, they have a positively charged quaternary ammonium or onium group, contributing to their hydrophilic characteristics. As a result, they are poorly absorbed in the body through oral...

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Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples
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Published on: August 22, 2019

Cholinesterases in development and disease.

L Anglister1, A Etlin, E Finkel

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. lilia@ekmd.huji.ac.il

Chemico-Biological Interactions
|June 24, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cholinesterases (ChEs) modulate spinal cord locomotor rhythms and are altered in Duchenne muscular dystrophy models. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) levels change in mdx mice, impacting neuromuscular junctions.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Cholinesterases (ChEs), including acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), are vital enzymes in the nervous system and other tissues.
  • Dysregulation of ChEs and the cholinergic system is implicated in various pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of cholinergic transmission in central pattern generation within the neonatal rat spinal cord.
  • To examine the involvement of ChEs in the pathologies of dystrophin-deficient (mdx) mice, a model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Main Methods:

  • Localization of AChE in neonatal rat spinal cord segments.
  • Pharmacological manipulation of AChE activity using edrophonium and exogenous acetylcholine (ACh) in spinal cord preparations.
  • Analysis of locomotor-like activity using cross-wavelet/coherence analysis.
  • Biochemical analysis of circulating AChE and BuChE levels in wild-type (wt) and mdx mice.
  • Examination of neuromuscular junctions (nmjs) in mdx mice.

Main Results:

  • AChE is abundant in specific neuronal populations within the neonatal rat spinal cord.
  • Blocking AChE activity induced non-stationary bursting, while ACh addition stabilized rhythmic activity and promoted locomotor patterns.
  • Stimulation of sacrocaudal afferents (SCAs) induced motor rhythms modulated by cholinergic agents.
  • Adult mdx mice exhibit malformed nmjs and altered acetylcholine receptor regulation.
  • mdx mice show elevated AChE and significantly reduced BuChE activity in serum, decreasing the BuChE to AChE ratio.

Conclusions:

  • The cholinergic system in the spinal cord actively generates and modulates functional rhythmic bursts, crucial for motor control.
  • Alterations in ChE levels and activity in mdx mice suggest a link between dystrophin deficiency, cholinergic system dysfunction, and disease pathology.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the endocrine regulation of ChEs in mdx mice and its potential impact on functional deficits.