Acetylcholinesterase (ACHE)

Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that degrades (through its hydrolytic activity) the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, producing choline and an acetate group. It is mainly found at neuromuscular junctions and cholinergic synapses in the central nervous system, where its activity serves to terminate synaptic transmission.

AChE has a very high catalytic activity mdash; each molecule of AChE degrades about 5000 molecules of acetylcholine per second. The choline produced by the action of AChE is recycled mdash; it is transported, through reuptake, back into nerve terminals where it is used to synthesize new acetylcholine molecules.Acetylcholinesterase is also found on the red blood cell membranes, where it constitutes the Yt blood group antigen.