acetylcholinesterase

American  

[uh-seet-l-koh-luh-nes-tuh-reys, -reyz, uh-set-, as-i-tl-] / əˌsit lˌkoʊ ləˈnɛs təˌreɪs, -ˌreɪz, əˌsɛt-, ˌæs ɪ tl- /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an enzyme that hydrolyzes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine: its action is blocked by nerve gases and certain drugs.

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acetylcholinesterase British  

/ ˈæsɪtaɪl-, əˈsiːtaɪlˌkəʊliːnˈɛstərˌeɪz /

noun

1. an enzyme in nerve cells that is responsible for the destruction of acetylcholine and thus for switching off excitation of the nerve

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Etymology

Origin of acetylcholinesterase

First recorded in 1945–50; acetylcholine + esterase

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

acetylcholinesterase

And indeed when Baby and his colleagues examined ants that had drowned in the pitcher fluid of N. khasiana, they found almost no acetylcholinesterase activity in their tissues.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 29, 2023

For example, some drugs that are given to Alzheimer’s patients work by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that degrades acetylcholine.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

These drugs, called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, can help treat neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 21, 2022

So historically, experiments have been done with different types of molecules to see whether they inhibit acetylcholinesterase.

From The Verge ● Mar. 17, 2022

They showed much higher levels of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that accelerates the transmission of neural signals.

From New York Times ● Aug. 16, 2017