GOLGI CELL Meaning and
Definition
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A Golgi cell is a type of inhibitory interneuron located in the cerebellar cortex, a brain region that plays a crucial role in motor control and coordination. Named after the Italian physician Camillo Golgi, who discovered them in the late 19th century, these cells are characterized by their distinctive morphology and function.
Golgi cells are small and granular in shape, with a single dendritic arbor that receives inputs from mossy fibers, which carry sensory information from the spinal cord and brainstem to the cerebellum. These cells also possess a single axon, which gives rise to a multitude of branchlets forming numerous synaptic contacts with the dendrites of granule cells in the cerebellar cortex.
The main function of Golgi cells is to regulate the flow of information through the cerebellar circuitry by providing inhibitory feedback control. Through their inhibitory synapses onto the granule cells, Golgi cells modulate the activity of the cerebellar circuit, contributing to the fine-tuning and coordination of motor movements. By regulating the excitability of granule cells and consequently the output of the cerebellar cortex, Golgi cells play an essential role in maintaining balance, motor planning, and motor learning.
Understanding the cellular properties and synaptic connections of Golgi cells is crucial for deciphering the complex functioning of the cerebellum, as well as for gaining insights into neurological disorders that involve impairments in motor control and coordination.
Common Misspellings for GOLGI CELL
- folgi cell
- volgi cell
- bolgi cell
- holgi cell
- yolgi cell
- tolgi cell
- gilgi cell
- gklgi cell
- gllgi cell
- gplgi cell
- g0lgi cell
- g9lgi cell
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- googi cell
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- golvi cell
- golbi cell
- golhi cell
Etymology of GOLGI CELL
The word "Golgi cell" is derived from the name of the Italian physician and scientist, Camillo Golgi. Camillo Golgi was a renowned neurobiologist who made significant contributions to the field of neuroscience in the late 19th century. He is particularly famous for his discovery of the Golgi apparatus, an organelle within cells involved in the processing and packaging of proteins.
As a tribute to Camillo Golgi's contributions to neurobiology, the Golgi cells in the brain were named after him. These cells were first identified and described by Santiago Ramón y Cajal, another prominent neuroscientist of the time, who studied Golgi's staining technique.
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