Summary
Distribution of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in various parts of neurons, perikarya, dendrites, axons and axon terminals was studied at the electron microscope (EM) level by means of a copper-ferrocyanide method recently developed by xxKerpel-Fromus and xxHajos (1967). Mitochondria of the perikarya, both in the CNS and in ganglia, show a marked SDH activity, which is still strong in proximal parts of the dendrites, but which greatly decreases in more distal parts of the dendrites. SDH activity becomes hardly detectable in the axons and appears consequently lacking in the synaptic axon terminals. It is assumed, however, that this is due to a level of activity that is below the sensitivity of the method employed. Cytochrome oxidase activity has been shown in earlier studies by the same authors not to be different in mitochondria of perikarya and axon terminals. The possible significance of this striking difference in somal and synaptic mitochondria of neurons is briefly discussed.
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Hajós, F., Kerpel-Fronius, S. Electron histochemical observation of succinic dehydrogenase activity in various parts of neurons. Exp Brain Res 8, 66–78 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234926
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234926