The multiple forms of brain acetylcholinesterase. I. Micro-electrophoresis and topochemical analysis of the pattern.

Micro-polyacrylamide gradient electrophoresis followed by active staining is applied for the demonstration of the multiple forms of acetylcholinesterase. Among other advantages the very small samples that enable the analysis of well-defined brain material as well as the almost histochemical conditions of incubation enable its successful use in topochemical investigations of the multiple form pattern of brain acetylcholinesterase. The acetylcholinesterase of bovine nc. caudatus could be separated into 4 multiple forms and the pattern was analysed microdensitometrically. These forms differ in their molecular weight as well as in their degree of membrane binding. Increasing ionic strength (NaCl) is followed by changes in the pattern. This result is discussed as caused by aggregation of enzyme subunits.