THE ACTIVITY OF SUCCINIC DEHYDROGENASE IN GLIAL TUMORS

Succinic dehydrogenase activity of astrocytic tumors of varying degrees of anaplasia was assessed by means of the tetrazolium reaction and compared with the activity in oligodendrogliomas and in the various elements of normal brain. Succinic dehydrogenase activity was present in all glial tumors examined. It increased with increasing anaplasia of the tumors. The SDA of oligoden¬droglioma, while high, was less than that of glioblastoma multiforme. The SDA in the cells of piloid astrocytoma appeared to be similar to that of normal astrocytes in white matter. SDA in the cells of gemistocytic astro¬cytoma, malignant glioma and glioblastoma multiforme exceeded considerably that in normal glia. Reactive glia also showed greater SDA than normal glia. There appears to be a relationship between the volume of cytoplasm con¬stituting the cel body and the amount of SDA exhibited by the cell.