Lattice of high oxidative metabolism in the intermediate grey layer of the rat and hamster superior colliculus.

Patches of high oxidative metabolic activity were observed in sagittal sections through the rat and hamster colliculus. These patches were demonstrated with the histochemical markers succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase. In surface parallel sections the patches were found to form a continuous lattice in both species. The lattice was composed of strips of high enzyme activity, about 60-200 micron wide, that surrounded islands of low activity. This lattice occurs at the same depth as the lattice of acetylcholinesterase activity, which also occurs in the intermediate grey layer, but the two lattices do not correspond.