Question

What does AChE do?

Answer 1

The principal biological role of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is termination of impulse transmission at cholinergic synapses by rapid hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Explanation:

AChE is the primary cholinesterases in the body. It is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of acetylcholine and of some other esters that function as neurotransmitters.

AChE is found at mainly neuromuscular junctions and in chemical synapses of the cholinergenic type, where its activity serves to terminate synaptic transmission. It waits patiently and springs into action soon after a signal is passed, breaking down the acetylcholine into its two component parts acetic acid and choline. This effectively stops the signal, allowing the pieces to be recycled and rebuild into new neurotransmitters for the next message.

It has a very high catalytic activity. Each molecule of AChE degrades about 25,000 molecules of acetylcholine per second.

Compounds that irreversibly inhibit AChE may lead to muscular paralysis, convulsions, bronchial constrictions and death by asphyxiation.