| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Contents |
Both of these compounds catalyze the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid, a reaction necessary to allow a cholinergic neuron to return to its resting state after activation.
The difference between the two types of cholinesterase has to do with their respective preferences for substrateThe word substrate can mean the following: In biochemistry, a substrate is a molecule undergoing a reaction, for which the presence of an enzyme lowers the activation energy. The substrate binds with the enzyme's active site, and the enzyme provides an als: the former hydrolyses acetylcholine more quickly; the latter hydrolyses butyrylcholine more quickly.
A cholinesterase inhibitorAn inhibitor is a type of effector that decreases or prevents a chemical reaction. They are often called negative catalysts. Inhibitors are often used as medicines to decrease the rate of enzyme mediated reactions, but they can also act as poisons. Other is known as an anticholinesteraseAn anticholinesterase is a chemical that inhibits a cholinesterase enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine, so increasing both the level and duration of action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Anticholinesterases occur naturally as venoms and poison. Because of its essential function, chemicals that interfere with the action of cholinesterase are potent neurotoxinA neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, or neurons usually by interacting with membrane proteins and ion channels. Many of the venoms and other toxins that organisms use in defense against vertebrates are neurotoxins. A common effecs, causing excessive salivation and eye watering in low doses, followed by muscle spasms and ultimately death. Outside of biochemical warfare , anticholinesterases are used are also used in anesthesiaAnesthesia ( AE), also anaesthesia ( BE), is the process of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. This allows patients to undergo surgery and other procedures without the distress and pain they would otherwise experience. There are several or in the treatment of myasthenia gravisMyasthenia gravis is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission leading to fluctuating weakness and fatigue. It is one of the best known autoimmune disorders and the antigens and disease mechanisms have well been identified. Weakness is caused by circulatin, glaucomaeye cross-sectional view. Courtesy NIH National Eye Institute Glaucoma is an eye disease that is defined as a characteristic optic neuropathy, or disease of the optic nerve. Raised intraocular pressure is significant risk factor for developing glaucoma. and Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease AD or senile dementia of Alzheimer's type is a neurodegenerative disease which results in a loss of mental functions due to the deterioration of brain tissue. Its exact etiology (cause) is still unknown, but environmental as well as ge.