Enzymes in the process of neuronal differentiation of the hen spinal ganglion, spinal cord and tectum opticum. A cytophotometric histochemical study

Changes in the activity of 13 enzymes are described in the process of cytodifferentiation of the nerve cells of spinal ganglion, the motor neurons of spinal cord and large nerve cells of the III layer of tectum opticum in 7, 10 and 21 day old chick embryos. Cytophotometry was performed with MZFV-1 (LOMO) by means of plug-method. A relatively high activity of glucose-6-phosphat dehydrogenase, diaphorase, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and, partially, acetylcholine esterase was found already in the 7 days old embryo. The activity of monoamine oxidase, aldolase-glyceroaldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase increased markedly on the 21st day. When studying the reciprocal distribution of two enzymes in separate cells, pairs of enzymes with a high value of correlation coefficient were found. The cytodifferentiation was found to be accompanied by changes in the coefficient of correlation of the same pair of enzymes.