THE LOCALIZATION OF PSEUDO‐CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY IN NERVOUS TISSUE

Abstract

The evidence from our own work and from that of others has been collated in an endeavour to place the localization of pseudo‐cholin‐esterase upon a firm basis. In the central nervous system it is clear from the studies on normal human brain that the white matter is particularly rich in this enzyme, and the activity of glioma tissue leads us to believe that it is probably mainly present in the supportive glial cells. In peripheral nerve, degeneration experiments conclusively demonstrate that the enzyme is not associated with the conductive elements and suggest that it is probably a component of the cells of Schwann. No indication of the function of this enzyme has been adduced.