what does acetylcholinesterase do? what happens to skeletal muscles if it is blocked

Question

anonymous · Answer

Stops muscles working, paralysis, death. etc... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcholinesterase#AChE_inhibitors

anonymous · Answer

Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme responsible for breaking down surplus acetylcholine in the synapses. Acetylcholine is both reabsorbed by the nerve ending of the axon and broken down by this enzyme, since surplus acetylcholine in the synapses would continuously excite the muscle, thus leaving it no chance to recuperate and thereby lead to paralysis. The enzyme is blocked on purpose by doctors in patients with diseases such as myasthenia gravis, where an extra amount of acetylcholine is needed to excite the muscles.

anonymous · Answer

what about the cardiac muscle?

anonymous · Answer

for cardiac muscle, acetylcholinesterase will cause the muscle to contract.  How? Breaksdown acetylcholine, acetylcholine in cardiac muscle acts on muscarnic receptors which when activated inhibits muscle contraction, thus AChE prevents the inhibition thereby causing contraction.

anonymous · Answer

Tachycardia? Arrhythmia?

anonymous · Answer

inhibiting AChE will attenuate tachycardia

anonymous · Answer

and arrhythmia is just any fluctuation from a normal heart rate (tachycardia - increased, bradycardia - decreased)

anonymous · Answer

yes indeed, sorry was distracted in History