THE USE OF MICROWAVE HEATING TO INACTIVATE CHOLINESTERASE IN THE RAT BRAIN PRIOR TO ANALYSIS FOR ACETYLCHOLINE

W. B. Stavinoha, S. T. Weintraub, A. T. Modak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

158 Scopus citations

Abstract

Abstract— Heating with 2450 MHz microwave radiation has been investigated as a means for animal sacrifice concurrent with enzyme inactivation. Uniform inactivation of cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) in the entire brain can be effected in the rat within 4 s and in the mouse within 2 s without destruction of acetylcholine. The acetylcholine content in the whole brain of a rat was found to be 25.4 ± 1.5 nmol/g after irradiation, in comparison to 13.8 ± 1.7 nmol/g after standard methods of sacrifice. In the mouse whole brain, the comparable acetylcholine contents were 25.5 ± 2.6 and 13.7 ± 1.7 nmol/g, respectively. The value of this procedure for rapid inactivation of enzymes in the study of acetylcholine turnover is discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)361-371
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Neurochemistry
Volume20
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1973

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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