Glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase: activities in oligodendrocytes, neurons, astrocytes, and myelin isolated from developing rat brains.

Glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were determined in oligodendrocytes, neurons, and astrocytes isolated from the brains of developing rats. The activity of each enzyme was significantly lower in both neurons and astrocytes than in oligodendrocytes. The GPDH activity in oligodendrocytes increased more than 4-fold during development, and at 120 days cells of this type had 1.4-fold the specific activity of forebrain homogenates. The G6PDH activities in oligodendrocytes from 10-day-old rats were 1.4-fold the activities in the forebrain homogenates. The activities of this enzyme in oligodendrocytes were progressively lower at later ages, such that at 120 days the cells had 0.8 times the specific activities of homogenates. The oligodendrocytes had 0.6 times the homogenate activities of LDH at 10 days, and this ratio had decreased to 0.2 by 120 days. These enzymes were also measured in myelin isolated from 20-, 60-, and 120-day-old rats. By 120 days the specific activities of G6PDH and LDH in myelin were less than 8% of the respective activities in homogenates. The GPDH activity in myelin was, however, at least 20% the specific activity in the homogenates, even in the oldest animals. It is proposed that LDH could be used as a marker for oligodendroglial cytoplasm in subfractions of myelin and in myelin-related membrane vesicles.