Histochemical studies on the morphology of the Golgi apparatus and on the distribution of some enzymes concerned with carbodydrate metabolism in the rat cerebellum

Histochemical studies on the distribution of thiamine pyrophosphatase and enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism in the intercalated neurons of the rat supraoptic nucleus

Histochemical studies have been conducted by applying hexokinase (HK), aldolase (AD), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase) methods, as well as Nissl staining and Gomori's chrome-alum-hematoxylin-phloxine (CHP) methods to intercalated neurons of the supraoptic nucleus (SO) on Wistar strain rats. Intercalated neurons reacted weakly to the AD, G3, G6PD, and SDH tests, indicating that they belong to the category of ordinary neurons with low carbohydrate metabolism. Many fibrous astrocytes showing strong HK reactions surround neurosecretory neurons. However, they do not surround intercalated neurons with mild HK activity. These results indicate that the latter receive a poor supply of energy from glucose in the circulating blood in contrast to the former. Intercalated neurons are very rich in Nissl substance but lack CHP-positive material. They may have a high potential for synthesizing protein. The principal morphological features of the TPPase-positive Golgi material are peculiar and heterogeneous shape and poor development. These findings together with mild G6PD activity suggest that intercalated neurons are very likely to have poor synthesizing activity.

Methodological aspects of the histochemical localization and activity of some cerebellar dehydrogenases

In a detailed study focused on the methodological problems in dehydrogenase histochemistry [e.g., fixation, diffusion of enzymes and of reduced inermediates, conversion of NADPH and NADP to NADH and NAD, respectively, penetration of tetrazolium salt and formazan substantivity, 'nothing dehydrogenase' reaction, use of exogenous CoQ10 and of flavoprotein substitute (PMS)], the distribution and activity of succinate dehydrogenase, NAD(P)H-tetrazolium reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase (H and M types), and of L-glutamate dehydrogenase (E.C.1.4.1.2 and E.C.1.4.1.3) have been investigated in the rat cerebellum. It was evident from the study that reliable results could only be obtained if all the aforementioned factors had been considered. The image of actual concentration of SDH in the neuropil of the molecular layer could only be recorded by adding CoQ10, while other structures exhibited greater balance between SDH and endogenous mitochondrial CoQ. Contrary to previous studies, a reversed localization of the activity of G-6-PDH and LDH was noticed. The elements of molecular and Purkinje layers were rich in G-6-PDH, while the granular layer was nearly depleted. The actual level of LDH could only be recorded if NADH-tetrazolium reductase was bypassed with PMS. The H and M types of LDH coexisted in the three cortical layers, the H type being prevalent and the M type attaining its highest level in synaptic glomeruli followed by the structures of the molecular layer and the Purkinje cells. High activity of GDH was noticed in Bergmann glia followed by synaptic glomeruli, while most other structures showed weak to moderate activity. The two GDH types coexisted in all structures showing activity, except for Bergmann cells, which only showed presence of the E.C. 1.4.1.3 type. Furthermore, Bergmann glia was exceptional by showing no activity of SDH and LDH, but strong activity of G-6-PDH and NADPH-tetrazolium reductase. The granular cells were exceptional by showing weak or no activity of all enzymes in question.

Histochemical studies on the morphology of the Golgi apparatus and its relation to catecholamine biosynthesis in the locus coeruleus of Rhesus and crab-eating monkeys

Detailed histochemical studies have been conducted on the distribution of thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase), L-gulonolactone oxidase (GLO), and NAD-linked xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) in every component of the Locus coeruleus (LC) of healthy adult male Rhesus and crab-eating monkeys in order to clearify the morphology of the Golgi apparatus (GA) and its relation to biosynthesis of catechol-amines in this special nucleus of the primate (NA nucleus A 6 as defined in the Rhesus monkey by German and Bowden [1975]). Medium-sized neurons of both species of monkeys, which are considered to play an important role in the LC, were classified into 5 groups on the basis of morphological patterns of the GA. Many neurons of both species of monkeys were positive for the XDH test while some neurons of the crab-eating monkey as well as a few neurons of the Rhesus monkey were positive for the GLO reaction. The LC of both species of monkeys must be composed of metabolically one kind of identical medium-sized parasympathetic neurons whose GA may continously undergo 5 distinct phasic changes depending on the functional state of that cell. However, the GA changes its shape much more significantly even within each group of the 5 in the crab-eating monkey than in the Rhesus monkey. The GA Type IV may correspond to the catabolic phase of the GA during which biosynthesis of both catecholamines and vitamin C should be going on. Production of vitamin C may greatly help biosynthesis of catecholamines in LC. The difference in species is evident between the 2 kinds of monkeys studied in regard to the degree of their ability to synthesize these substances. The degree of the ability to synthesize vitamin C parallels the density distribution of Type IV neurons in LC whose GA often develops much more greatly in the crab-eating monkey than in the Rhesus monkey.