Cytochrome c oxidase during human fetal development.

Histochemical, biochemical and immunologic analysis of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) in skeletal muscle, heart and kidney during human fetal development was performed. COX histochemical activity was present only in few muscle fibres from the 11th to the 20th week of gestation. At the same developmental stage intrafusal muscle fibres, heart and kidney already showed strong activity. At the 28th week of gestation muscular COX activity was present in about 90% of the fibres. Tissue biochemical analysis confirmed these histochemical findings. Histochemical and biochemical findings compared to the immunocytochemical results and ELISA indicate that COX activity parallels the progressive synthesis of the enzyme in each tissue.