Cytochrome oxidase “blobs”: a call for more anatomy

An ordered relation of structure and function has been a cornerstone in thinking about brain organization. Like the brain itself, however, this is not straightforward and is confounded both by functional intricacy and structural plasticity (many routes to a given outcome). As a striking case of putative structure–function correlation, this mini-review focuses on the relatively well-characterized pattern of cytochrome oxidase (CO) blobs (aka “patches” or “puffs”) in the supragranular layers of macaque monkey visual cortex. The pattern is without doubt visually compelling, and the semi-dichotomous array of CO+ blobs and CO− interblobs is consistent with multiple studies reporting compartment-specific preferential connectivity and distinctive physiological response properties. Nevertheless, as briefly reviewed here, the finer anatomical organization of this system is surprisingly under-investigated, and the relation to functional aspects, therefore, unclear. Microcircuitry, cell type, and three-dimensional spatiotemporal level investigations of the CO+ CO− pattern are needed and may open new views to structure–function organization of visual cortex, and to phylogenetic and ontogenetic comparisons across nonhuman primates (NHP), and between NHP and humans.