acetylcholinesterase
[ uh-seet-l-koh-luh-nes-tuh-reys, -reyz, uh-set-, as-i-tl- ]
nounBiochemistry.
an enzyme that hydrolyzes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine: its action is blocked by nerve gases and certain drugs.
Origin of acetylcholinesterase
1First recorded in 1945–50; acetylcholine + esterase
Words Nearby acetylcholinesterase
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for acetylcholinesterase
acetylcholinesterase
/ (əˈsiːtaɪlˌkəʊliːnˈɛstərˌeɪz, ˈæsɪtaɪl-) /
noun
an enzyme in nerve cells that is responsible for the destruction of acetylcholine and thus for switching off excitation of the nerve
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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