Cholinesterases physical properties

There is a vast and continually growing literature on these two enzymes, but many papers have not distinguished clearly between them. The purpose of the present survey is to focus attention on human serum cholinesterase and its variants in the light of recent research, and to offer a critical assessment of reports of its physical and chemical properties and clinical and toxicological applications. The methodologies of cholinesterase assays and the older literature on the variant enzymes will not be considered in detail Relevant references may be found in several authoritative reviews (B15, D5, F4, G13, G16, H5, K5, LIO, L24, Ul, W35). Acetylcholinesterase, also, has been extensively reviewed (Nl, S22, S23, W29) and it will be discussed here only in order to make particular points of comparison with cholinesterase. 

In this volume, the Editors have compiled a group of articles that they feel represents a continuation of the aims of this publication to provide the clinical chemist with reviews of state-of-the-art methodology, newer areas of medicine and physiology that affect the clinical chemist, and those areas related to the latest information relating ehemistry to disease. Brown, Kalow, Pilz, Whittaker, and Woronick present an article entitled The Plasma Cholinesterases A New Perspective. This is truly an international effort and is presented by the authors on behalf of the Commission on Toxicology of the Clinical Chemistry Division of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. It provides a superb review of human serum cholinesterase and its variants and a critical assessment of the physical and chemical properties of the enzyme. 

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