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Cited by 189Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative DiseasesNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchEnzyme function and inhibition

THE ACTIVITIES OF BUTYRYLCHOLINESTERASE AND CARBONIC ANHYDRASE, THE RATE OF ANAEROBIC GLYCOLYSTS, AND THE QUESTION OF A CONSTANT DENSITY OF GLIAL CELLS IN CEREBRAL CORTICES OF VARIOUS MAMMALIAN SPECIES FROM MOUSE TO WHALE

Tower, D. B., Young, O. M.·1973·Journal of Neurochemistry
DOI 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1973.tb12126.x
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Abstract

Abstract— The question of a constant density of glial cells in mammalian cerebral cortex regardless of species was examined by surveying the cortical activities of two enzymes primarily localized to dial cells. The cortical activity of butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) was essentially constant at a rate of approx. 0.1 μmol of butyrylthiocholine hydrolysed min‐1 g‐1 over the range of species from rat (brain wt., 1.6 g) to fin whale and sperm whale (brain wt., 6800 and 7800 g, respectively). Over the same range the activity of cortical acetylcholinesterase, a neuronal enzyme, decreases by a factor of 7. Thus, butyrylcholinesterase ranged from < 2 per cent (in small rodent brains) to approximately 10 per cent (in whale brain) of the cortical acetylcholinesterase activity. The cortical activity of carbonic anhydrase (EC 4.2.1.1) was constant at a rate of 6.2 (± 0.25) μmol of CO 2 evolved min‐1 g‐1 over the range of species from guinea‐pig (brain wt., 4.75 g) to fin whale (brain wt., 6800 g). These data obtained by assaying the dehydration reaction were confirmed by limited assays of the esterase activity of the enzyme (with p‐nitrophenylacetate as substrate) and agreed with limited, previously reported data for the hydration reaction. Thus, the circumstantial evidence strongly favoured a relative constancy of cortical glial cell density regardless of species. The rates of anaerobic glycolysis in the cerebral cortex of various species were also investigated. For six species from mouse (brain wt., 0.4 g) to beef (brain wt., 380 g) cortical anaerobic glycolysis varied only slightly in the range of 50–62 μmol of CO 2 evolved h‐1 g‐l, whereas cortical oxygen consumption for the same range of species decreased by a factor of 3. Previously frozen samples of beef cortex glycolysed at 35 per Cent of the rate of fresh (unfrozen) samples. Since identical rates were obtained for previously frozen samples of fin whale cerebral cortex, we concluded that the relative constancy of cortical anaerobic glycolysis could be extended to the range from mouse to whale and that this aspect of cortical metabolism is probably primarily glial in localization. Some implications of the latter conclusion for the proposed role of astrocytes as modulators of neuronal activity have been discussed.

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  • Mammals with even larger absolute neocortex size than humans, such as whales, are reported to have correspondingly higher glia-neuron ratios.

    “Mammals with even larger absolute neocortex size than humans, such as whales, are reported to have correspondingly higher glia–neuron ratios (23, 24).”

    From Evolution of increased glia–neuron ratios in the human frontal cortex (2006) · cites this paper as [24]

  • Previous studies of glia-neuron ratios in the neocortex concluded that brain size is the main determinant of this variable across mammals.

    “Previous studies of glia–neuron ratios in the neocortex also concluded that brain size is the main determinant of this variable across mammals (22–24).”

    From Evolution of increased glia–neuron ratios in the human frontal cortex (2006) · cites this paper as [24]

  • Previous studies of glia-neuron ratios included relatively few species drawn from very diverse phylogenetic groups and represented a small number of cortical areas.

    “First, they included relatively few species drawn from very diverse phylogenetic groups, and they represented a small number of cortical areas.”

    From Evolution of increased glia–neuron ratios in the human frontal cortex (2006) · cites this paper as [24]

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Authors
Tower, D. B., & Young, O. M.
Affiliations
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (US)
Venue
Journal of Neurochemistry
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1973-02
Volume
20
Issue
2
Pages
269-278
ISSN
  • 0022-3042 (ISSN-L)
  • 1471-4159
DOI
10.1111/j.1471-4159.1973.tb12126.x
OpenAlex
W2081528824
Cited by
189
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 9
FWCI
4.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 12367 d)
Locations
  • Journal of Neurochemistry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Enzyme function and inhibition
Keywords
acetylcholinesterase, carbonic anhydrase, glial cell density, cerebral cortex, anaerobic glycolysis, brain size, cross-species comparison, mammals, whales, brain energy metabolism
MeSH terms
Anaerobiosis, Animals, Haplorhini, Carbonic Anhydrases, Cats, Cattle, Cerebral Cortex, Cetacea, Cholinesterases, Glycolysis, Guinea Pigs, Kinetics, Manometry, Neuroglia, Organ Size, Oxygen Consumption, Rabbits, Species Specificity, Mice, Rats, In Vitro Techniques

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