acetylcholine

American  

[uh-seet-l-koh-leen, uh-set-] / əˌsit lˈkoʊ lin, əˌsɛt- /

noun

1. Biochemistry. the acetic acid ester of choline, C 7 H 17 NO 3 , released and hydrolyzed during nerve conduction and causing muscle action by transmitting nerve impulses across synapses.

2. Pharmacology. this substance used in its chloride form in eye surgery. ACh

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acetylcholine British  

/ -lɪn, ˌæsɪtaɪlˈkəʊliːn /

noun

1. a chemical substance secreted at the ends of many nerve fibres, esp in the autonomic nervous system, and responsible for the transmission of nervous impulses. Formula: CH 3 CO 2 (CH 2 ) 2 N (CH 3 ) 3 ⁺

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acetylcholine Scientific  

/ ə-sēt′l-kō′lēn′ /

1. A substance that is released at the junction between neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, at the nerve endings of the parasympathetic nervous system, and across synapses in the central nervous system, where it acts as a neurotransmitter. Chemical formula: C ₇ H ₁₆ NO ₂ .

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• acetylcholinic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of acetylcholine

First recorded in 1905–10; acetyl + choline