A quantitative study of the purkinje cells in the cerebellum of the albino rat

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Abstract
Histological techniques have been used to study the layer of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of the albino rat. A method has been devised for “unfolding” the layer into two dimensions. The shape after unfolding strikingly resembled the shape of the unfolded human cerebellar cortex. The total area of the Purkinje cell layer after histological processing was estimated at between 270 and 280 mm 2 in four rats, and at 240 mm 2 in a fifth. Approximately 25% of the layer lies rostral to the primary fissure. In each of three rats the mean density of cells in the Purkinje cell layer was approximately 1,200 cells/mm2. There were considerable local variations in cell density. In these theree rats the total number of Purkinje cells present in the cerebellar cortex was estimated to be 3.2 × 105, 3.2 × 105 and 3.6 × 105 cells. The limitations of the methods used have been discussed.