The Thymus and Acetylcholine Synthesis

Abstract

Adult rat brain slices were placed in Locke soln. containing glucose 1:500 and eserine 1:5,000. Ground thymus glands from 12 rats less than 24 hrs. old were added to one lot of slices and both this and the control lot were shaken in 95% O2-5% CO2 for 1 1/4 hrs. at 37[degree]C. The total acetylcholine (ACh) was detd. by treatment with HCl and the extracts assayed on the isolated heart of Venus mercenaria. Appreciable amts. of ACh were synthesized in all expts. and no differences were found between the lots with thymus added and the control lots.