Comparative neuromorphology and function of Purkinje cells in geckos, mice, and chickens


SOCIETY FOR INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
2021 VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING (VAM)
January 3 – Febuary 28, 2021

Meeting Abstract


81-4  Sat Jan 2  Comparative neuromorphology and function of Purkinje cells in geckos, mice, and chickens Liu, YL*; Bradley, S; Patel, AV; Bailey, CDC; Vickaryous, MK; University of Guelph; University of Guelph; University of Guelph; University of Guelph; University of Guelph yliu37@uoguelph.ca

The neuromorphology of cells in the brain varies both within and across species, the differences of which reflect their similar yet distinct functions. Purkinje cells (PCs) are one of the largest cell types in mammals and play a key role in regulating motor control and movement in the cerebellar cortex. While PCs are widely recognized as having elaborate dendrite branching patterns, with few exceptions, details of their neuromorphology have rarely been quantified. Here, we investigate the neuromorphology of PCs in three taxonomically distinct species: the leopard gecko (reptile), laboratory mouse (mammal), and domestic chicken (bird). Using a modified Golgi-Cox protocol, PC neuromorphology was quantified both between and within species. Using Sholl and branched structure analyses, neuromorphological differences were quantified within each species that indicate regional differences of dendrite complexity between cells. Across species, PCs in geckos and mice were comparable in terms of average dendrite length but differed significantly in complexity, with mice having a greater number of Sholl intersections closer to the soma. PCs in chickens were almost twice as long as those of geckos and mice, and had a greater average dendrite volume, diameter, and length. Our findings demonstrate that significant neuromorphological differences are present for PCs both within and across species, and may be related to aspects of phylogeny, and possibly ecology and functional morphology. To assess differences in PC function, ongoing experiments aim to determine whether differences in the electrophysiological properties of PCs correlate with the morphological differences observed.

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