Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Caspases01:24

Caspases

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside cells.
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...
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells01:17

Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells

Cells undergoing apoptosis form apoptotic bodies that must be removed immediately to prevent inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and necrosis. Phagocytosis is carried out by professional phagocytes such as macrophages or  immature dendritic cells. Non-professional phagocytes such as  epithelial cells and fibroblasts also take part in this process; however, they are not as effective as professional phagocytes. 
Normal cells contain receptors that prevent them from being recognized by phagocytes.
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Convergent blood-brain barrier breakdown in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review of preclinical animal models.

Fluids and barriers of the CNS·2026
Same author

The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Score Rather Than Donor Type Impacts Clinical Outcomes of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Severe Aplastic Anemia Patients Aged 51-60 Years: A Retrospective Study From the Chinese Blood and Marrow Transplant Registry.

Clinical transplantation·2025
Same author

Pre-symptomatic Parkinson's disease blood test quantifying repetitive sequence motifs in transfer RNA fragments.

Nature aging·2025
Same author

Maternal prenatal stress induces sex-dependent changes in tRNA fragment families and cholinergic pathways in newborns.

Molecular psychiatry·2025
Same author

Comparable survival outcomes in HLA-Matched and haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for severe aplastic anemia patients aged 40-50: A CBMTR Registry-based propensity score matching analysis over the last decade.

Cancer letters·2025
Same author

Eye saccades align optic flow with retinal specializations during object pursuit in freely moving ferrets.

Current biology : CB·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c
07:42

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c

Published on: June 29, 2011

Acetylcholinesterase involvement in apoptosis.

Xue-Jun Zhang1, David S Greenberg

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai, China.

Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
|April 20, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a marker for apoptosis, not an initiator. Overexpression of AChE in cells promotes apoptosis, while its deficiency protects against it, suggesting AChE acts as a tumor suppressor.

Keywords:
acetylcholinesteraseapoptosistumor

More Related Videos

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis
12:55

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Published on: February 16, 2015

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity
12:17

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity

Published on: August 12, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c
07:42

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c

Published on: June 29, 2011

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis
12:55

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Published on: February 16, 2015

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity
12:17

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity

Published on: August 12, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) expression is observed in various cell types during apoptosis.
  • Increased AChE levels are detected in apoptotic cells following in vitro and in vivo stimuli.
  • AChE is recognized as a potential marker for apoptosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of AChE in apoptosis and its potential as a tumor suppressor.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which AChE influences apoptosis.
  • To explore the non-classical functions of AChE in cellular processes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of AChE expression in different cell types undergoing apoptosis.
  • Studies involving overexpression and downregulation of AChE levels.
  • Investigation of AChE's role in apoptosome formation and caspase activation.
  • Observation of AChE translocation into the nucleus during apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • Cells overexpressing AChE undergo apoptosis more readily.
  • AChE deficiency confers resistance to apoptosis induction.
  • Introduction of AChE into tumor cells inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis.
  • AChE is crucial for apoptosome formation, caspase-9 activation, and subsequent apoptotic events.
  • AChE translocation to the nucleus is observed during apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • AChE functions as a tumor suppressor gene.
  • AChE plays a significant role in promoting apoptosis, rather than initiating it.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the non-classical functions of AChE in apoptosis.