Enzyme histochemical study of the motor nerve cells in axonal reaction.

Abstract

Axonal reaction of the motor nerve cells in the anterior horn of rabbit spinal cord was induced operatively. On the chromatolytic cells, enzyme histochemical stainings were performed at the respective dates after operation. Light microscopical observations on these cells with the comparison of the normal cells in symmetrical anterior horn, demonstrated prominent increases of TPN-, DPN- diaphorase, G6P dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase activities, moderate increases of both glutamic and lactic dehydrogenase, accompanied with decreases of cytochrome oxidase, succinic dehydrogenase, non-specific esterase and thiamine pyrophosphatase activities. Some presumptions were made from the findings, considering the previous biochemical and electron microscopical results, on these cells under axonal reaction; 1. the heterogeneous distributions of enzyme activities among mito-chondria and among lysosomes according to their functional states, 2. the activated metabolism via the pentose monophosphate shunt, and 3. the lysosomal differentiation into mitochondria.