Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) belongs to the serine hydrolase family and is widely present in various animal tissues and serum. It catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh), playing a crucial role in the regulation of nerve transmission.
Assay Principle: AChE catalyzes the hydrolysis of ACh to produce choline. Choline then reacts with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) to generate 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid (TNB). TNB exhibits an absorption peak at 412 nm. The activity of AChE is calculated by measuring the rate of increase in absorbance at 412 nm.