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The multiple forms of brain acetylcholinesterase

I. Micro-electrophoresis and topochemical analysis of the pattern

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Summary

Micro-polyacrylamide gradient electrophoresis followed by active staining is applied for the demonstration of the multiple forms of acetylcholinesterase. Among other advantages the very small samples that enable the analysis of well-defined brain material as well as the almost histochemical conditions of incubation enable its successful use in topochemical investigations of the multiple form pattern of brain acetylcholinesterase.

The acetylcholinesterase of bovine nc. caudatus could be separated into 4 multiple forms and the pattern was analysed microdensitometrically. These forms differ in their molecular weight as well as well as in their degree of membrane binding. Increasing ionic strength (NaCl) is followed by changes in the pattern. This result is discussed as caused by aggregation of enzyme subunits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological Sciences, Karl-Marx-University Leipzig, Talstr. 33, DDR-701, Leipzig, German Democratic Republic

    Gerald Hüther & Hans Luppa

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  1. Gerald Hüther
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  2. Hans Luppa
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The research reported in this paper was supported by the “Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Technik der DDR”

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Hüther, G., Luppa, H. The multiple forms of brain acetylcholinesterase. Histochemistry 53, 317–325 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00509248

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