Histochemical Demonstration of AChE Activity in Isolated Nerve Cells

Abstract

Summary. A modification of the thiocholine method of Koelle (1951) has been used for the demonstration of the AChE activity in single nerve cells isolated from the surrounding tissue by means of microdissection technique. In neurons in the spinal, sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglions, as well as in the anterior and lateral horns of the spinal cord, large concentrations of AChE could be demonstrated inside the cytoplasm and neurite after a very short incubation time. By using this method the relative amount of such AChE bearing cells was found to be considerably higher than in previous investigations.