Striped pattern stained for cytochrome oxidase activity in the rabbit olfactory bulb

Summary Frontal sections from the rabbit olfactory bulb (OB) were stained for cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity. This technique revealed that the OB showed a concentric banding pattern of oxidative enzyme activity. This striped pattern was bilaterally symmetric and continued throughout the OB from rostral to caudal. The most densely stained band was in the middle of the external plexiform layer (EPL). Therefore, regarding differences in degrees of oxidative enzyme activity, the EPL can be divided into three sublayers. In the glomerular layer, individual glomeruli stained as isolated patches and the internal plexiform layer (IPL) was also stained. In contrast to the OB the accessory olfactory bulb stained lightly for CO activity, and did not show a concentric pattern.