Quantitative oxidative enzyme histochemistry of the spinal cord. Part 1. Distribution of enzyme activity in anterior horn cells.

Cytophotometric measurements of the activities of 5 oxidative enzymes (succinate, malate, lactate, NAD+-linked isocitrate and NADH dehydrogensases) have been made in anterior horn cells of the lumbar and cervical spinal cord of the rabbit. The thickness of tissue sections was measured by an interference microscope and various optical and chemical precautions were taken to diminish the possible errors that might be involved in cytophotometry. The findings of the study indicated a unimodal distribution of the activities of all of the enzymes studied in anterior horn cells, though there was a wide range of enzyme concentration among different cells. Thus the findings in the rabbit are consistent with the "constant proportion" hypothesis of the activity of certain oxidative enzymes, and are contrary to a previous finding that there may be two populations of succinate dehydrogenase-containing anterior horn cell.