Pharmacology What is the mechanism of action of acetylcholine?

@ekaterina-gribacheva Btw there are some chemical weapons (sarin, tabun, soman), which contain phosphorus groups and bind avidly to acetylcholinesterase to inhibit its activity. In result you have some problems with muscular activity

Posted by: @benzol00

What is the mechanism of action of acetylcholine?

Acetylcholine is a central as well as peripheral neurotransmitter that transmits neuronal signals to neurons or neurons in skeletal muscle. It performs many actions, which depend on the types of receptors on which it acts. Acetylcholine acts on muscarinic (M1, M2, M3) and nicotinic receptors (Nn, Nm). Muscarinic receptors are GPCRs while nicotinic receptors are ionotropic receptors. In general, the action on the muscarinic receptor causes relaxation of the heart, contraction of the gastrointestinal tract, pupil, increased secretion of the stomach and saliva, while the action on the nicotinic receptor causes contraction of skeletal muscles and is involved in cognitive function.

@ ekaterina-gribacheva @argentum Thanks 😀 

@benzol00 😉 

Acetylcholine is a chemical transmitter (neurotransmitter) of nervous excitement; the endings of the nerve fibers for which it serves as a mediator are called cholinergic, and the receptors that interact with it are called cholinergic receptors. The cholinergic receptor (according to modern foreign terminology - "cholinoceptor") is a complex protein macromolecule (nucleoprotein) localized on the outer side of the postsynaptic membrane. In this case, the cholinergic receptor of postganglionic cholinergic nerves (heart, smooth muscles, glands) is designated as m-cholinergic receptors (muscarinic-sensitive), and located in the region of ganglionic synapses and in somatic neuromuscular synapses - as n-cholinergic receptors (nicotine-sensitive). This division is associated with the peculiarities of the reactions arising from the interaction of acetylcholine with these biochemical systems: muscarinic in the first case and nicotine-like in the second; m- and n-cholinergic receptors are also found in different parts of the central nervous system.