Histochemical demonstration of folic acid metabolism, some lysosomal activities and NADH2-cytochrome-C-reductase in corpora mammillaria in the ageing process.

In bovine corpora mammillaria of young animals, a folic acid positive reaction was found in the neurons and in the neuroglia, in parallel with high dihydrofolate-reductase activity in the nerve cells. In old animals, folate and lysosome enzymes were different in the lateral and in medial nucleus, the highest amount being observed in the lateral nucleus; in the glial cells the lysosomal enzymes increased and in the nerve cells the concentration of folic acid increased. In the medial nucleus only relatively few enzyme modifications in the process of senescence were noticed.