title: Morphogenic role for acetylcholinesterase in axonal outgrowth during neural development.
abstract: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is the enzyme that hydrolyzes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at cholinergic synapses and neuromuscular junctions. However, results from our laboratory and others indicate that AChE has an extrasynaptic, noncholinergic role during neural development. This article is a review of our findings demonstrating the morphogenic role of AChE, using a neuronal cell culture model. We also discuss how these data suggest that AChE has a cell adhesive function during neural development. These results could have additional significance as AChE is the target enzyme of agricultural organophosphate and carbamate pesticides as well as the commonly used household organophosphate chlorpyrifos (Dursban). Prenatal exposure to these agents could have adverse effects on neural development by interfering with the morphogenic function of AChE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0709, USA. jbigbee@gems.vcu7.edu
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bigbee
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dupree
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002093:Benzenaminium, 4,4'-(3-oxo-1,5-pentanediyl)bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-2-propenyl-), Dibromide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000196:embryology*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D016501:Neurites / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D002093:Benzenaminium, 4,4'-(3-oxo-1,5-pentanediyl)bis(N,N-dimethyl-N-2-propenyl-), Dibromide; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase