Cerebellar Cortex

Unfortunately there are no really good sections through cerebellar cortex for your examination. The section viewed at the URL indicated below will allow you to identify the three layers of the cerebellar cortex. You will be unable to examine any of the interesting features of this cortex: Link 11. The cerebellar cortex has three layer: from the pial surface inward they are the molecular layer, Purkinje cell layer and the granule cell layer. The molecular layer is relatively devoid of neuronal cell bodies although the processes of neurons from deeper layers traverse this layer. The Purkinje cell layer is a monolayer of large flask-shaped neurons that intervene between the molecular and granule cell layers. The granule cell layer is the dark staining layer that contains tightly packed very small neurons (granule cells) and large Golgi cells. You will not be able to identify individual cells in this preparation.

The following URL is a good introduction to the cerebellar cortex: Link 12.

Purkinje cells are the only output neurons of the cerebellar cortex. Their dendritic tree occupies the entire depth of the molecular layer and their axons pass through the granule cell layer to enter the white matter. From their they target either the deep cerebellar or vestibular nuclei. To appreciate the “Flatbush” view of a complete Purkinje cell dendritic arbor see Link 13.

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