The activity of cholinesterases during the development of Xenopus laevis.

The activity of cholinesterases during the early development of Xenopus laevis has been examined, and the activity of acetylcholinesterase in particular has been distinguished from other cholinesterases. In contrast to some earlier findings, the activity of acetylcholinesterase is low at early stages and gradually increases during development. Possible reasons for the differences between the earlier results and those reported here are discussed.