To understand the role of glycosylation in the circulation of cholinesterases, we compared the mean residence time of five tissue-derived and two recombinant cholinesterases (injected intravenously in mice) with their oligosaccharide profiles. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed differences in the total carbohydrate, galactose, and sialic acid contents. The molar ratio of sialic acid t...

In this article it is reported about: cholinesterases, their ac!ion and their importance in anaesthesiology and intensiv care units. The cholinesterases inhibitors and treat­ment of cholinesterases deficiency and their reactivation is also discussed. 

In addition to their use in the polyurethane and pesticide industries, isocyanates have proven to be useful probes for the exploration of protein structure. This paper focuses on three aspects of isocyanates: their broad reactivity, their reversible interaction with cholinesterases, and the relative hydrolysis rates of alkyl and aryl isocyanates. The broad reactivity of isocyanates as well as t...

The sixty-seven papers in this book are grouped under the following chapters: Esterase Structures, Catalytic Properties of Cholinesterases, Catalytic Properties of Paraoxonases and Related Esterases, Biology of Cholinesterases, Biology of Paraoxonases and Related Esterases, Toxicity and Degradation of Organophosphorus Compounds, Neuropathy Target Esterase, and Miscellaneous. The chapters are pr...

Cardiotoxin, protamine and polylysine are potent inhibitors of various cholinesterases. CaCl2 and MgCl2 overcome the inhibition. The order of addition of the inhibitor and the protecting agent (MgCl2) influences the final degree of the inhibition observed. These findings suggest that cardiotoxin, protamine and polylysine inhibit cholinesterases by the ionic binding of their basic groups with th...

The activity of cholinesterases during the early development of Xenopus laevis has been examined, and the activity of acetylcholinesterase in particular has been distinguished from other cholinesterases. In contrast to some earlier findings, the activity of acetylcholinesterase is low at early stages and gradually increases during development. Possible reasons for the differences between the ea...

The types of cardiac cholinesterases (1) and the responses of the myocardium to acetylcholine (2, 3) differ in various species and at various sites in the heart. It has not been possible to explain the differing physiological responses in terms of the types of cholinesterases present (1-3). A comparative study of the histochemical localization at the ultrastructural level of cholinesterase acti...

The poorly known mechanism of inhibition of cholinesterases by inorganic mercury (HgCl2) has been studied with a view to using these enzymes as biomarkers or as biological components of biosensors to survey polluted areas. The inhibition of a variety of cholinesterases by HgCl2 was investigated by kinetic studies, X-ray crystallography, and dynamic light scattering. Our results show that when a...

In 1914 Sir Henry Dale (1) suggested that an enzyme which degrades the esters of choline played a role in neurotransmission within the autonomic and somatic motor nervous systems and that this enzyme, acetylcholinesterase, was the target of action of the drug, physostigmine (eserine). In the intervening 75 years, inhibition of the enzyme has been used to augment both the nicotinic and muscarini...