Studies with rat brain illustrate the usefulness of formol-calcium-fixed tissue for studying both enzymatic "chemoarchitectonics" and intracellular organelles. Unembedded frozen sections and polyvinyl alcohol-embedded sections may be used to demonstrate the activities of DPNH-tetrazolium reductase localized in mitochondria and ergastoplasm, TPNH-tetrazolium reductase localized in mitochondria, ATPase (and/or apyrase or ADPase) in cell membranes, and acid phosphatase in lysosomes.1 Among the observations recorded are: (1) the presence of lysosomes in all cells of the brain; (2) the presence of numerous large lysosomes near the nuclei of capillary endothelial cells; (3) a polarized arrangement of large lysosomes in epithelial cells of the ependyma and choroid plexus; (4) the presence of ATPase activity in the cell membranes of some neurons; (5) the presence of either an apyrase or combination of ATPase and ADPase in the cell membranes of neuroglia and capillaries; (6) the presence of both DPNH- and TPNH-tetrazolium reductase activities in neuroglia; (7) the presence of DPNH- and TPNH-tetrazolium reductase activities in mitochondria and of DPNH-tetrazolium reductase activity in Nissl substance. The possible functional significance of these localizations is briefly discussed, as is their relation to "quantitative histochemistry" data available in the literature.
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December 01 1960
THE LOCALIZATION OF ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE RAT BRAIN
Norwin H. Becker,
Norwin H. Becker
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
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Sidney Goldfischer,
Sidney Goldfischer
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
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Woo-Yung Shin,
Woo-Yung Shin
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
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Alex B. Novikoff
Alex B. Novikoff
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
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Norwin H. Becker
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
Sidney Goldfischer
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
Woo-Yung Shin
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
Alex B. Novikoff
From the Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, New York.
Dr. Becker's present address is Laboratory Division, Montefiore Hospital, New York. Mr. Goldfischer's present address is New York University College of Medicine, New York
Received:
April 14 1960
Copyright 1961 by The Rockefeller Institute Press
1960
J Biophys and Biochem Cytol (1960) 8 (3): 649–663.
Article history
Received:
April 14 1960
Citation
Norwin H. Becker, Sidney Goldfischer, Woo-Yung Shin, Alex B. Novikoff; THE LOCALIZATION OF ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE RAT BRAIN . J Biophys and Biochem Cytol 1 December 1960; 8 (3): 649–663. doi: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.8.3.649
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