PYRAMIDAL CELL Meaning and
Definition
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A pyramidal cell is a type of neuron found in the cerebral cortex of the brain that possesses a distinct pyramidal shape. It is characterized by a triangular-shaped soma or cell body with a single apical dendrite extending towards the brain's surface and multiple basal dendrites radiating outwards. These cells are typically found in layers 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the cerebral cortex and play a crucial role in information processing and transmission within the brain.
Pyramidal cells are known for their extensive axonal connections, allowing them to communicate with and integrate information from various areas of the brain. They are considered the principal excitatory neurons of the cortex and are involved in functions such as cognition, sensory perception, memory, and motor control.
The apical dendrite of a pyramidal cell extends towards the brain's surface, receiving inputs from a wide range of cortical and subcortical structures. These inputs converge onto the cell body and basal dendrites, where they are integrated and processed. The output of a pyramidal cell is transmitted through its axon, which often extends to distant brain regions.
The structural and functional properties of pyramidal cells can vary across different cortical regions, allowing them to perform specialized tasks. Their pyramidal shape and wide-ranging connections make them vital components of the complex neural networks that underlie various cognitive processes in the human brain.
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A nerve-cell of the cerebral cortex; it is of triangular outline with apex directed toward the center of the convolution and drawn out into a long apical dendritic process, and gives out also numerous lateral dendrites; a slender axon proceeds from the base and descends to the white portion of the gyrus which it enters as a nerve-fiber.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for PYRAMIDAL CELL
- oyramidal cell
- lyramidal cell
- -yramidal cell
- 0yramidal cell
- ptramidal cell
- pgramidal cell
- phramidal cell
- puramidal cell
- p7ramidal cell
- p6ramidal cell
- pyeamidal cell
- pydamidal cell
- pyfamidal cell
- pytamidal cell
- py5amidal cell
- py4amidal cell
- pyrzmidal cell
- pyrsmidal cell
- pyrwmidal cell
- pyrqmidal cell
Etymology of PYRAMIDAL CELL
The word "pyramidal" in "pyramidal cell" refers to the shape of the neuron. "Pyramidal" originates from the Greek word "pyramis", which means pyramid. It is derived from the Egyptian word "piramis", meaning "noble house" or "monument". The term "pyramidal cell" was coined in the early 19th century by anatomist and physiologist Friedrich Arnold.
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