Acetylcholine
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| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Other names | ACh |
| License data | |
| ATC code | |
| Physiological data | |
| Source tissues | motor neurons, parasympathetic nervous system, brain |
| Target tissues | smooth muscles, brain, many other organs |
| Receptors | nicotinic, muscarinic |
| Agonists | nicotine, muscarine, cholinesterase inhibitors |
| Antagonists | tubocurarine, atropine |
| Precursor | choline, acetyl-CoA |
| Biosynthesis | choline acetyltransferase |
| Metabolism | acetylcholinesterase |
| Identifiers | |
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| CAS Number | |
| PubChem CID | |
| IUPHAR/BPS | |
| DrugBank | |
| ChemSpider | |
| UNII | |
| KEGG | |
| ChEBI | |
| ChEMBL | |
| E number | E1001(i) (additional chemicals) |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.118 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C7H16NO2 |
| Molar mass | 146.21 g·mol−1 |
Acetylcholine is a chemical in human nerves that carries information (called neurotransmitter) from the sense of touch, sense of smell, etc. This chemical is produced inside nerve cells at the axon terminal. Acetylcholine is an synaptic neurotransmitter meaning it almost exclusively acts on synapses. It can be both excitatory or inhibitory depending on the target receptor. Acetylcholine is formed by the reaction of acetyl CoA from the Krebs cycle and choline (vitamin B9) which is catalyzed by the enzyme Choline Acetyl Transferase (CAT). Acetylcholine travels the synaptic cleft to the receptor which can either be Nicotinic receptors or Muscarinic Receptors.
References
- ↑ "Neurotransmitters: What They Are, Functions & Types". Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ D, Purves (2001). Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Oxford University: Sinauer Associates. ISBN 10: 0-87893-742-0.
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