Postnatal Development of the Rabbit Cerebellum

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to provide an overview of the rabbit cerebellum's postnatal developmental stages. Forty rabbit cerebella of postnatal ages (PN1, PN 5, PN8, PN15, PN22, 1M, 2M, 3M, 4M, 5M and 6M) were obtained from the Balady rabbits. In, PN1 the cerebellar cortex consisted of four layers: an external granular layer (EGL), a molecular layer, a Purkinje cell layer, and an internal granular layer. The thickness of the EGL reached its maximum, consisted of five to six layers of oval or spherical cells. The Purkinje cell layer retained immature. Purkinje cells had vesicular nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and an amphiphilic cytoplasm were arranged in two or three different layers. At PN 5, EGL decreased in thickness while Purkinje neurons were arranged in a welldeveloped single row. Myelination of the white matter appeared more evident. At later postnatal ages, the EGL was decreased in thickness until disappeared, while internal granular layer and molecular layer increased in thickness until the anatomical characteristics of the mature cerebellum were reached from two months onward. Cerebellum was important for motor coordination; muscle tones and maintaining the equilibrium of the body. An extended process that takes place during postnatal life gives the mature cerebellum its ultimate structure.