The Comparative Distribution of Glycogen, Succinic Dehydrogenase, and Acid Mucopolysaccharides in Different-aged Animals

¹ Departments of Anatomy, College of Dentistry and the Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York University, and the Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital of Philadelphia

Glycogen in the epithelium of the oral mucosa of rodents was found to decrease in concentration with age and was found to be abundant in areas where no inflammation was present. Glycogen was not demonstrable in the monkey mucosa.

A possible correlation between glycogen deposition and rate of formation of keratin in rodents is suggested by its presence in greater amounts where tissue abrasion during mastication may occur, such as the palate and oral surface of the crestal gingiva.

The maximum succinic dehydrogenase activity was observed in the basal cells, with diminishing activity in the deeper layers of the stratum Malpighii. The distribution was the same in all the animals studied and was not affected by age. Glycogen was found to be most abundant in areas of diminished succinic dehydrogenase activity in the rat and hamster. Since succinic dehydrogenase and glycogen are not found in the same location, the possibility exists that other enzyme systems are associated with glycogen formation.

Material which showed a positive reaction for acid mucopolysaccharides with the Rinehart technique increased with age and was most pronounced in the tunica propria of the palatine rugae of the rodents.

Epithelial intercellular cement was found to be alcian blue-PAS-positive and Rinehart-negative, while the ground substance of the tunica propria was alcian blue-, PAS-, and Rinehart-positive. This suggests a difference in the mucopolysaccharide composition of these tissues.