CYTOARCHITECTURE OF COCHLEAR NUCLEI IN CAT

The microscopical structure of the cat cochlear nuclei was studied in Nissl preparations in order to get a suitable map for further experimental investigations. The neurons of the entire nuclear complex were classified into nine different types according to their microscopical appearance. Seven of the nine types, viz., the large spherical cells, small spherical cells, octopus cells, globular cells, pyramidal cells, giant cells, and granular cells, seem to constitute rather uniform cell groups, while the remaining types, viz., the multipolar cells and small cells, seem to be rather heteromorphic. On the basis of the distribution of these cell types the nuclear complex was divided into a corresponding number of cell areas which proved to be partly overlapping. This principle of parcellation led to a certain simplification of the previously proposed schemes of the organization of the cochlear nuclei based on cellular characteristics. Copyright © 1969 The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology