acetylcholinesterase

[ uh-seet-l-koh-luh-nes-tuh-reys, -reyz, uh-set-, as-i-tl- ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

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

acetylcholinesterase

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of acetylcholinesterase¹

First recorded in 1945–50; acetylcholine + esterase

Example Sentences

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

That said, he finds the data provided—that drowned ants exhibited high levels of acetylcholinesterase inhibition—are circumstantial at best.

From Science Magazine

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

From Scientific American

It is an inhibitor of what’s known as acetylcholinesterase.

From The Verge

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

From The Verge