Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
2004
Volume 7
Issue 2
Topic:
Veterinary Medicine
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Krakowska I. , Matysek M. , Lonc G. , Boratyński Z. , Łopuszyński W. 2004. MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF CEREBELLUM NUCLEI (NUCLEUS DENTATUS ET NUCLEUS FASTIGII) IN FETAL LIFE OF CATTLE, EJPAU 7(2), #02.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume7/issue2/veterinary/art-02.html

MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF CEREBELLUM NUCLEI (NUCLEUS DENTATUS ET NUCLEUS FASTIGII) IN FETAL LIFE OF CATTLE

Izabela Krakowska, Małgorzata Matysek, Grzegorz Lonc, Zbigniew Boratyński, Wojciech Łopuszyński

 

ABSTRACT

The cerebellum of the cow fetuses age 8,12,14,16,18,20, 23 weeks were used in this work. Morphometric analysis of cerebellum nuclei in fetal life of cattle were examinated.The material was imbedded in parafin and sections were cut in the frontal plane and stained according to the Nissl’s, Klüver- Barrera’s method and with cresyl violet. The measurement of neurocyte and neuroblastes was done by morphometrical analysis in program Multi Scan. The length, wight and area of the cyton and diameter of the neurocytes nuclei were measure. According to the results the graphs showing the changes of examined parameters in various developmentalperiod were made.

Key words: cerebellum, development, nucleus dentatus and n. fastigii, cattle.

INTRODUCTION

The investigation of cerebellum development was conducted on such animal species as: pig [3,4], wild boar [1], cat [7], deer [14], Ruminants [9] and also on horse [2], rat [8,10]. The absence of morphometric studies on nucleus dentatus and nucleus fastigii makes it necessary to conduct the measurements of nerve cells in these nuclei in consecutive life stages of cattle.

The fetuses of 8, 12, 14,16, 18, 20 and 23 week of life were the subjects of the study.

At present, many studies are concerned with lesions in cerebellum effected by BSE illness [6].

In the course of similar illnesses in Ruminants as scrapie sheep, encephalitis and BSE in cattle most sensitive structures to lesion are the medulla, frontal part of cerebral cortex, occipital cerebral cortex and the cerebellum [12]. In case of vitamin insufficiencies in Ruminants with cases of B1avitaminosis there occur characteristic histo-pathological changes in the cerebellum [11].

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cerebella of cattle fetuses of 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23 week of life were investigated in the study. Preparations were fixed and they were stained according to Nissl’s, Klüver-Barrera’s methods and with cresyl violet. The measurements of the nerve cells and their nuclei were performed by use of 3.52 Version Screen Measurement G. LUCIA program.

RESULTS

Nucleus dentatus

In relation to other cerebellum nuclei it is situated laterally, most close to the external border of the vermiform lobe. In its whole length, the cells are distributed as the elongated narrow streak. In its frontal part, nucleus dentatus has its cross-section as an elongated oval and, as moving towards the back part, the cross-section becomes thinner. In the frontal part of the nucleus one can observe two groups of cells on two adverse poles of the oval structure and sparsely grouped cells among them. With moving to the back the cells lose the tendency to form groups and are evenly distributed.

In the 16th week of fetal life, a group of new neuroblasts belonging to nucleus dentatus becomes visible. The neuroblasts are grouped as a narrow streak and their number amounts 10. The neuroblasts nuclei are visible under staining with violet cresyl (Nissl’s method) and the cytoplasm is hardly visible. The nuclei are big, circular and rounded with a small amount of the cytoplasm. The average surface area of the neuroblasts in this period of life amounts 47.60 µm2 (Fig.1).

Fig. 1. Nucleus dentatus, The average areas of cell nucleus surface in different stages of fetal life

At the 18 week of fetal life, nucleus dentatus has a structure of nerve cell nuclei of a medium size of 49.40um2 of the surface area and an average cell surface area of 100.58 µm2 (Fig. 1).

In this period of life nucleus dentatus cells are of the oval shape. (fot.1). The cells are situated densely one to another and they have circular or oval shape.

Fot. 1. Nerve cells of nucleus dentatus in the 18th week of pregnancy

In the 20th week of the fetal life, nucleus dentatus is definitely formed, as in this period there occurs the most intense growth of the cell nucleus and cell differentiating. (fot.2). The nucleus has become a narrow, oval streak of cells of triangular, oval and multiangular cells. The average surface area of the cell nucleus amounts 48.50 µm2, the average surface area of the very cell is 149.40 µm2, with the visible increase of the cell size to the size of their nuclei. (Fig. 1).

Fot. 2. Nucleus dentatus in the 20th week of pregnancy

At the 23 week of fetal life, one can still observe the growth of nucleus dentatus, the shape of which does not change anymore, and it is still the structure of an elongated oval, the nerve cells are also of oval shape, rarely- circular and most often the cells are triangular with well visible processes. The average size of the cell nucleus increases remarkably in comparison with the former period and is 60.50 µm2, and the average surface area size of the cell goes up to 253.40 µm2 (Fig. 1).

Nucleus fastigii

Nucleus fastigii is the longest nucleus comparing to the other cerebellum nuclei. It is situated dorsally and parallel to the IVth chamber. In the transverse cross-sections it has a circular shape in its frontal and back part.

The nucleus is formed in the 16th week of fetal life. In this period, in the medullary substance of the vermiform lobe of the cerebellum, there appears a group of circular cells but with a definitely separated cytoplasm and bright nucleus. These cells create the aggregation of a circular shape. The average surface area of the cell nucleus is 47.09 µm2 and the average surface area of the cell is 92.02 µm2 (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Nucleus fastigii, The average areas of cell nucleus surface in different stages of fetal life

In the 18th week of fetal life, the surface area of the nerve cells is radically changed; the nucleus shape is still similar to a circular one, and the cell creating the nucleus are of circular or oval shape. The average area of the cell nucleus is 54.05 µm2 and the average cell surface area amounts 117.94 µm2. (Fig. 2).

In the 20th week of the fetal life, one can observe the change of nucleus fastigii itself, it becomes elongated, oval, the cells are dispersed at large distances from each other. The nerve cells have, in great majority, the triangular shape, but oval and circular cells occur as well. The average surface area of the nucleus is 50.84 µm2, and the one of the whole cell amounts 158.83 µm2 (Fig. 2).

Fot. 3. Nucleus fastigii in the 23th week of pregnancy

The 23rd week is characterized by a circular nucleus fastigii, and two groups of cells can be distinguished: medial and lateral. The cells have circular, oval or triangular shape (fot.3). Characteristic feature of this period is almost double increase in growth of the nerve cells. The average area of the cell nucleus is 74.32 µm2 and the average cell surface area amounts 291.21 µm2 (Fig. 2).

DISCUSSION

In case of nucleus dentatus, the results point to the slow cell development in cattle fetuses in the first part of pregnancy. In the second part, however, cell development is much faster and the nucleus gains the shape of one in the newborn animal. Nucleus fastigii seems to be differently developed, one can observe mature nerve cells as soon as in the 16th week of pregnancy. Cells of nucleus dentatus are characterized by even growth rate through all pregnancy, nucleus fastigii cells grow evenly in the first part of pregnancy, and in the second part almost double growth of the surface area is observed only in 1 month of the fetal life. Also in the second part of pregnancy the shape of nucleus fastigii changes.

In comparison to different species of animals, the shape of the nucleus fastigii in Alopex lagopus is similar [5], in the cross-section it has got the circular shape (in its frontal part) and then transversely oval. The similarities in the structure of nucleus dentatus occur in cattle [9] and in coypu [13], in coypu – in the back pole of the nucleus the cells are arranged as two small, oval groups. Nucleus fastigii in its cross-section has the oval shape.

The development of nucleus dentatus in pig [3,4] has a different course than in the cattle. In pig fetuses in the period of 4.5 weeks, one can observe for the first time the differentiation of embryonic cells in the region of nucleus dentatus as a small group of neuroblasts, In the second part of the pregnancy in pig there appear well developed nerve cells. In pig fetuses the development of nucleus fastigii cells takes place later than the development of nucleus dentatus cells. One can observe here the reverse rule as compared with the development of n.dentatus and nucleus fastigii in cattle.

REFERENCES

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  2. Bujak A., 1971. Topography and cytoarchitectonics of the cerebellar nuclei in the horse. Polskie Archiwum Weterynaryjne, 14, 613

  3. Bujak A., 1967. The development of nucleus lateralis and nucleus medialis of the cerebellum in the pig. Polskie Archiwum Weterynaryjne, Tom 10 z. 3

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  6. Chaplin MJ., Barlow N., Ryder S., Simmons MM., Spencer Y., Hughes R., Stack MJ., 2002. Evaluation of the effects of controlled autolysis on the immunodetection of PrPSc by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry from natural cases of scrapie and BSE. Reserch in Veterinary Science 72:1, 37-43, 21 ref.

  7. Floryd S., Jansen J., 1961. On the cerebellar nuclei in the cat. Acta Anat., 46, 52

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  10. Korneliussen H. K., 1968. On the morphology and subdivision of the cerebellar nuclei of the rat. J. für Hirnforschung, 10, 111

  11. Sołtysiak Z., Dzimira S., 1999. The histopathological changes of neocortical of cerebral cortex in the ruminants. Życie Weterynaryjne, R. 74, nr 3, s.92-94

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  13. Szteyn S., 1966. Structure and topography of the cerebellar nuclei of the coypu (Myocastor coypus Molina). Polskie Archiwum Weterynaryjne, Tom 10, z.2

  14. Szteyn S., 1969. The nuclei of the Cerebellum in the Roe Deer. Acta Theriologica, Białowieża, Vol. XIV, 24: 321-326


Izabela Krakowska, Małgorzata Matysek, Grzegorz Lonc, Zbigniew Boratyński
Department of Animal Anatomy
Agricultural University of Lublin
12 Akademicka st., 20- 934 Lublin, Poland
tel. (81) 445 65 44
e-mail: izaar@op.pl

Wojciech Łopuszyński
Department of Pathological Anatomy
Agricultural University of Lublin
12 Akademicka st., 20- 934 Lublin, Poland


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