Dehydrogenases and Diaphorases in Monkey Lateral Geniculate Body: Histochemical and Cytochemical Localization

Introduction  A SIX-LAYERED neuronal arrangement is present in the monkey lateral geniculate body. Neurons in laminae 2, 3, and 5 receive ganglion cell axons solely from the ipsilateral eye, while laminae 1, 4, and 6 receive those from the contralateral eye.^4,12 Laminae 1 and 2 are magnocellular (large cells) and 2, 4, 5, and 6 parvocellular (small cells). Adequate comparisons of laminae of similar cytology can be established within each lateral geniculate nucleus. This is of value, particularly in the studies of transneuronal degeneration.^4,5 After uniocular enucleation, only neurons receiving afferent from the corresponding eye demonstrate Nissl and morphologic changes of transneuronal atrophy.A previous study from this laboratory indicates that the enzymatic activities decrease in the corresponding lateral geniculate nuclear laminae following eye enucleation.⁸ As these histochemical changes precede those in Nissl substance, it may be assumed that enzymatic neuronal activities are affected earlier in this