Page 101 - Headlines Histology2024_Neat

• The ventrolateral white matter is made up of various ascending (sensory)
and descending (motor) tracts such as lateral spinothalamic tract (pain and
temperature), ventral spinothalamic tract (light touch).

Brain

• The brain is subdivided into cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem.

Cerebrum

• The cerebrum is divided into two cerebral hemispheres by deep longitudinal
fissure. The cerebral hemisphere consists of convoluted outer cortex of gray
matter overlying inner medulla of white matter.

Types of neurons in the cerebral cortex

Pyramidal cells

• They are pyramidal in shape with their sizes varies greatly.
• The smallest pyramidal cells are located superficially. However, large cells

(Betz cells) are located deeper within the cortex.
• The cell apex is directed outward and it has a thick branching dendrite

towards the surface. In addition, short dendrites arise from the edges of the
base and extend laterally.
• A thin axon arises from the base of the cell and passes into the underlying
white matter.
Stellate (granule) cells

• They are small neurons with short vertical axon and several short branching
dendrites giving the cell body a star shape.

Cells of Martinotti

• They are small polygonal cells superficially located within the cortex.
• They have few short dendrites with a single axon extends toward the

surface and divides to run horizontally.

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