THINKING ON 3-DIMENSIONS – 6
Cells lacking a nucleus and nuclei lacking nucleoli
The image is of a section of the cerebellum, an organ belonging to the central nervous system, located within the skull under the brain.
In addition to several smaller neurons, observe three large neurons of a type called Purkinje cells.
Cells “lacking” nuclei, or nuclei without nucleoli are often seen in sections of the cerebellum, as well as in sections of most other organs.
Place the cursor or click on the image to observe:
Purkinje cells 1 and 3 – with unclear nuclei and no obvious nucleoli.
Purkinje cell 2 – with an evident nucleus and nucleolus
Why do we observe sections in which similar cells show such varied appearances?
See the explanation on the next page.
Cerebellum. Hematoxylin and eosin. Medium magnification.