Functional development of the visual system in normal and protein-deprived rats. VII. Lamination of oxidative enzyme activity in the visual cortex during post-natal development.

Abstract

Lamination of activity of two mitochondrial enzymes-succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and menadione-dependent alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (M-GPDH) - was examined in the visual cortex of control (C) and protein-deprived (PD) rats from 10 days old to adult. In C rats, lamination of enzyme activity was evident from 10 days by a band of higher activity in lamina IV. A band of higher SDH activity was seen in superficial lamina VI from 15 days. Lamination of M-GPDH activity became less pronounced with increasing age, whereas distinct bands of high SDH activity in lamina IV and VI remained also in adult rats. PD rats showed a developmental delay of approximately 5 days with regard to the general increase in neuropile activity. A band of higher enzyme activity in lamina IV was present from 10 days, but it was markedly less distinct in the PD rats compared to the C rats between 15 and 25 days. A band of higher SDH activity in superficial lamina VI was not seen until 25 days in PD rats. No apparent differences were seen between adult C and PD rats. The observed developmental alterations are discussed in relation to other delays, distortions and deficits found in the visual system of PD rats.