Summary and Conclusions
1. Constant injection of acetylcholine, infinitely greater in quantity than that elaborated physiologically, produces no marked change in the esterase level of the blood, during approximately six hours of observation.
2. Extirpation of the spleen, pancreas, gut, liver and blocking of the reticulo-endothelial system resulted in no decrease in the esterase level of the blood during the period of observation.
3. Vigorous vagal stimulation had no effect on the esterase level of the blood.
4. Venous blood from various organs showed no differences, as tested by our method, in esterase content.
5. In the light of the above experiments it is not surprising that the esterase level shows only small variations in most normal and pathological conditions. It is felt that the esterase level of the blood is a rather immobile, unresponsive bulwark against an excess of acetylcholine in the blood.
6. Pancreatic juice has approximately fifteen times the acetylcholine splitting power of the blood. This ability is totally inhibited in the presence of eserine.
7. Ascitic fluid, fluid from a cerebellar cyst and the fluid portion of pus destroy acetylcholine.
8. Nephritic urine containing albumin and globulin, does not possess this ability, nor do washed pus cells.
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From the Department of Gastro-Intestinal Physiology, Michael Reese Hospital and the Department of Physiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
Mr. Ginsberg’s thesis for Master of Science at University of Chicago.
Aided by the Oscar Aberle Fund.
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Ginsberg, R., Kohn, R. & Necheles, H. Studies on the blood esterase. American Journal of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition 4, 154–158 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02999307
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02999307