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

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...
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...
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...
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...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:22

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship

Cholinergic agonists or cholinomimetics mimic the action of acetylcholine to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. They are categorized into direct-acting and indirect-acting agents. The direct-acting cholinergic drugs induce the parasympathetic response by directly binding to the muscarinic or nicotine receptors. In comparison, the indirect-acting cholinergic drugs prevent acetylcholine hydrolysis, indirectly contributing to the extended parasympathetic response.
The direct-acting...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Interaction of exogenous acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase with amyloid-β plaques in human brain tissue.

Chemico-biological interactions·2024
Same author

Interaction of Exogenous Butyrylcholinesterase with β-Amyloid Plaques in 5XFAD/Butyrylcholinesterase-Knockout Mouse Brain.

Current Alzheimer research·2021
Same author

Imaging Butyrylcholinesterase in Multiple Sclerosis.

Molecular imaging and biology·2020
Same author

Intact olfactory memory in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease from 3 to 15 months of age.

Behavioural brain research·2020
Same author

Cholinesterases in normal and Alzheimer's disease primary olfactory gyrus.

Neuropathology and applied neurobiology·2017
Same author

Reduced fibrillar β-amyloid in subcortical structures in a butyrylcholinesterase-knockout Alzheimer disease mouse model.

Chemico-biological interactions·2016

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology
10:26

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology

Published on: August 18, 2014

Butyrylcholinesterase and the cholinergic system.

G A Reid1, N Chilukuri, S Darvesh

  • 1Department of Medical Neuroscience Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Neuroscience
|January 12, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) is found in the central nervous system (CNS) alongside choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), suggesting a role in regulating acetylcholine. This study maps BuChE distribution in the mouse CNS, revealing its association with cholinergic neurons.

More Related Videos

Subcutaneous Administration of Muscarinic Antagonists and Triple-Immunostaining of the Levator Auris Longus Muscle in Mice
07:09

Subcutaneous Administration of Muscarinic Antagonists and Triple-Immunostaining of the Levator Auris Longus Muscle in Mice

Published on: September 8, 2011

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice
10:20

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice

Published on: June 25, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology
10:26

Bladder Smooth Muscle Strip Contractility as a Method to Evaluate Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacology

Published on: August 18, 2014

Subcutaneous Administration of Muscarinic Antagonists and Triple-Immunostaining of the Levator Auris Longus Muscle in Mice
07:09

Subcutaneous Administration of Muscarinic Antagonists and Triple-Immunostaining of the Levator Auris Longus Muscle in Mice

Published on: September 8, 2011

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice
10:20

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice

Published on: June 25, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neurochemistry
  • Enzymology

Background:

  • The cholinergic system is crucial for neurotransmission in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
  • Acetylcholine synthesis is by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and its breakdown by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE).
  • While AChE has been extensively studied, the role of BuChE in cholinergic regulation is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distribution of BuChE in the mouse central nervous system (CNS).
  • To compare the neuroanatomical distribution of BuChE with that of ChAT.
  • To elucidate the relationship between BuChE and neural elements involved in acetylcholine production.

Main Methods:

  • Histochemical, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescent staining techniques were employed on mouse brain tissues (129S1/SvImJ strain).
  • Simultaneous staining for BuChE and ChAT was performed.
  • Immunofluorescent double labeling was used to identify co-localization within neurons.

Main Results:

  • Both BuChE and ChAT were found distributed throughout the mouse CNS.
  • BuChE and ChAT exhibited overlapping distributions, with many neurons in the medulla oblongata and spinal cord containing both enzymes.
  • BuChE-positive neurons were observed near ChAT-positive neuropil (thalamus, amygdala), and BuChE-positive neuropil was associated with ChAT-positive neurons (pons).

Conclusions:

  • The study provides significant neuroanatomical evidence for BuChE's involvement in cholinergic regulation within the CNS.
  • BuChE is localized in neural elements that either produce acetylcholine or are in close proximity to cholinergic neurons.
  • These findings highlight a potentially broader role for BuChE in modulating acetylcholine levels than previously understood.