Acetylcholinesterase

Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme which converts acetylcholine into choline and acetate. It is vital in breaking down acetylcholine, the prime neurotransmitters of the neuromuscular junction - an excess of acetylcholine leads to excessive stimulation of the muscle, and therefore tetany. Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase are nerve poisons, but are also used in anesthesia or in the treatment of myasthenia gravis and Alzheimer's disease.