[Glycogen distribution and enzyme activity during the physiologic degeneration of the palatal shelf epithelium]

The secondary hard palate is formed by fusion of the right and left palatal shelves. During this process the cells of the medial edge epithelium (MEE) undergo autolysis. The present study, carried out on golden hamsters demonstrates that the glycogen content and the activities of phosphorylase, lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH), and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) increase in the MEE-cells when the palatal shelves contact. These histochemical characteristics persist during the phase of degeneration of MEE. Thus, the increased glycogen content of the degenerating cells cannot be explained by a decrease of activity of these enzymes.