Physiology, Acetylcholine

Excerpt

Acetylcholine is a neurochemical that has a wide variety of functions in the brain and other organ systems of the body. Specifically, it is a neurotransmitter that acts as a chemical message that is released by neurons and allows them to communicate with one another and other specialized cells such as myocytes and cells found in glandular tissues. The name "acetylcholine" is derived from its chemical structure, as it is an ester of acetic acid and choline. Tissues of the body that use this chemical messenger or are responsive to it are referred to as cholinergic. There is a class of chemicals called anticholinergics that interfere with acetylcholine's action on tissues as well. While ACh operates as a neurotransmitter in many parts of the body, it is most commonly associated with the neuromuscular junction. The neuromuscular junction is where motor neurons located in the ventral spinal cord synapse with muscles in the body to activate them. Acetylcholine also functions as a neurotransmitter in the autonomic nervous system, acting both as the neurotransmitter between preganglionic and postganglionic neurons as well as being the final release product from parasympathetic postganglionic neurons.