title: A quantitative study of acetylcholine in Hirschsprung's disease.
abstract: This is the first report on acetylcholine (Ach) quanititaion of the aganglionic colon by a chemical assay. Ach content in the colon of Hirschsprung's disease was measured by pyrolysis gas chromatography, which was found to be a simple, accurate, and reliable method. Microwave irradiation on the surgical resected specimens was performed before extraction procedure to abolish acetylcholinesterase (Ach-E) and cholineacetyltransferase (CAT) activity in the tissue. Ach content in the ganglionic colon was 8.51 +/- 3.15 nmole/g (n  5 in contrast to 23.79 +/- 14.17 nmole/g (n = 19) in the aganglionic segment of Hirschsprung's disease. The meaning of elevated Ach level in the aganglionic segment was discussed from the pathophysiologic standpoint.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000032:analysis*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003106:Colon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008531:Megacolon / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008722:Methods
chemical_list: D000109:Acetylcholine