Butyrylcholinesterase (HGNC symbol BCHE; EC 3.1.1.8), also known asBChE, BuChE, BuChase, pseudocholinesterase, or plasma (cholin)esterase,[5] is a nonspecific cholinesterase enzyme that hydrolyses many different choline-based esters. In humans, it is made in the liver, found mainly in blood plasma, and encoded by the BCHEgene.[6]
It is very similar to the neuronal acetylcholinesterase, which is also known as RBC or erythrocyte cholinesterase.[5] The term "serum cholinesterase" is generally used in reference to a clinical test that reflects levels of both of these enzymes in the blood.[5] Assay of butyrylcholinesterase activity in plasma can be used as a liver function test as both hypercholinesterasemia and hypocholinesterasemia indicate pathological processes. The half-life of BCHE is approximately 10 to 14 days.[7]
Butyrylcholine is a synthetic compound that does not occur in the body naturally. It is used as a tool to distinguish between acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase.
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^ abcJasmin L (2013-05-28). "Cholinesterase - blood". University of Maryland Medical Center. Archived from the original on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
^Allderdice PW, Gardner HA, Galutira D, Lockridge O, LaDu BN, McAlpine PJ (October 1991). "The cloned butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE) gene maps to a single chromosome site, 3q26". Genomics. 11 (2): 452–454. doi:10.1016/0888-7543(91)90154-7. hdl:2027.42/29109. PMID1769657.
