Histochemical mapping of lipids and proteins in the mesencephalic nuclei and fibre tracts of hill-stream teleost Barilius bendelisis (Ham.)

Abstract

The observations on histochemical localisation of lipids including phospholipids and proteins have been made in the nuclear areas and fibre tracts of the mesencephalon of a hill-stream minor carp Barilius bendelisis (Hamilton). The different layer of optic tectum exhibit moderate to intense contents of lipids and phospholipids whereas protein concentration varies from negative to intense. Most of the nuclei of mesencephalic tegmentum show moderate concentration of Sudan Black B and acid haematin positive materials and similarly of mercury bromophenol blue positive substances. Practically all the fibre connections have either intense or strong staining of Sudan Black B and acid haematin tests. But the presence of proteins in some tracts is either negligible or poor or inconsistent. In nuclear areas, intracytoplasmic membranous organelles contribute to the major fraction of lipids whereas it is myelin of the sheaths of axonic fibres.