Acetylcholinesterase Assays

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is one of the most crucial enzymes for nerve response and function. AChE degrades the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) into choline and acetic acid. It is mainly found at neuromuscular junctions and cholinergic synapses in the central nervous system, where its activity serves to terminate the synaptic transmission. AChE inhibitors are among the key drugs approved for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and myasthenia gravis.

Amplite^® Fluorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kits provide one of the most sensitive methods for detecting AChE activity or screening AChE inhibitors in red florescence window. Kit 11402 uses Amplite^® Red to quantify the choline produced from the hydrolysis of acetylcholine by AChE through choline oxidase-mediated enzyme coupling reactions. The fluorescence intensity of Amplite^® Red is used to measure the amount of choline formed, which is proportional to the AChE activity. Kit 11402 can be used for monitoring and quantifying the AChE activity in blood, cell extracts or other solutions. The kit is an optimized "mix and read" assay that provides a simple one-step fluorimetric assay to detect as little as 0.01 mU AChE in a 100 µL assay volume (0.1 mU/mL). Its signal can be easily read at Ex/Em = ~540/590 nm.

Amplite^® Fluorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit (Cat# 11401) uses our outstanding Thiolite™ Green to quantify the thiocholine produced from the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine by AChE. Thiolite™ Green is not fluorescent until reacted with a thiol group. It has spectral properties similar to those of fluorescein, making this assay compatible with almost all fluorescence instruments. The fluorescence intensity of Thiolite™ Green is used to measure AChE activity. Compared to the existing thiol probes (e.g., mBBr and bBBr), Thiolite™ Green is much more sensitive. This Amplite^® Fluorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit provides an ultrasensitive fluorimetric one-step assay to detect as little as 0.01mU AChE in a 100 µL assay volume (0.1 mU/mL). Its signal can be easily read using a fluorescence microplate reader at Ex/Em = 490/525 nm.

Amplite^® Colorimetric Acetylcholinesterase Assay Kit (Cat# 11400) uses DTNB to quantify the thiocholine produced from the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine by AChE in blood, in cell extracts, and in other solutions. The absorption intensity of DTNB adduct is used to measure the amount of thiocholine formed, which is proportional to the AChE activity.