PEROXISOMES IN DORSAL ROOT GANGLIA

Bodies with the morphologic and cytochemical characteristics of peroxisomes have been identified in the satellite and Schwann cells of rat dorsal root ganglia. They are membrane-delimited, round or oval structures which contain a moderately electron-dense matrix but lack a crystalline core. On incubation of the tissue in a cytochemical medium for demonstration of peroxisomes, these bodies show heavy deposits of reaction product. The reaction is inhibited by heating the tissue or by incubation in the presence of aminotriazole or dichlorophenolindophenol. In tissue incubated for acid phosphatase activity the bodies are not reactive, although lysosomes show reaction product.