TANGENTIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CYTOCHROME OXIDASE-RICH BLOBS IN THE PRIMARY VISUAL-CORTEX OF MACAQUE MONKEYS

We studied the tangential distribution of cytochrome c oxidase (CytOx) -rich blobs in four striate cortices of three normal monkeys (Macaca m ulatta). The spatial density and cross-sectional area of blobs were an alyzed in CytOx-reacted tangential sections of flat-mounted preparatio ns of the striate cortex (V1). Well-delimited CytOx-rich blobs were fo und in the middle portion of cortical layer III of the V1. Throughout the binocular field representation, the spatial density of blobs was n early constant with a mean value of four to five blobs per mm(2). In t he monocular portions of V1, however, blob spatial density diminished. In all cases, the mean cross-sectional area of blobs was constant in the V1. The small variation of CytOx blob topography with visual field eccentricity contrasts with the variation described in previously pub lished material. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.