Open AccessMapping of Mitochondrial Metabolic Competence by Cytochrome Oxidase and Succinic Dehydrogenase Cytochemistry
Author(s) -
Carlo Bertoni–Freddari,
Patrizia Fattoretti,
Tiziana Casoli,
Giuseppina Di Stefano,
Moreno Solazzi,
Natascia Gracciotti,
Pierluigi Pompei
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry/the journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.971
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1551-5044
pISSN - 0022-1554
DOI - 10.1177/002215540104900915
Subject(s) - cytochrome c oxidase , mitochondrion , cytochemistry , succinate dehydrogenase , organelle , biochemistry , biology , respiratory chain , oxidative phosphorylation , enzyme , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
To map the mitochondrial capacity to provide adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the activities of cytochrome oxidase (COX) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) were respectively evidenced by diaminobenzidine (DAB) and copper ferrocyanide cytochemical techniques in the cerebellar cortex of adult rats. Sampling of the positive mitochondria was carried out by the disector procedure. The ratio (R) overall area of the precipitates due to COX activity within the single mitochondrion/area of the same organelle was automatically calculated to estimate enzyme activity vs mitochondrial size. The number of SDH-positive mitochondria/μm 3 of tissue (numeric density, Nv) was morphometrically calculated. Cytochemistry of key enzymes of the respiratory chain enables measurement of the actual capacity of individual mitochondria to provide ATP. This quantitative estimation allows morphofunctional mapping of the mitochondrial metabolic competence in discrete tissue and/or cellular compartments. (J Histochem Cytochem 49:1191–1192, 2001)