Abstract

The cerebellar basket cells of mice, hamsters, teleost fishes and human have been studied by means of Golgi light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Golgi light microscopy showed ascending dendrites toward the molecular layer and descending and transverse axonal collaterals contributing to the formation of Purkinje cell pericellular basket. Confocal laser scanning microscopy provided z-series of optodigital sections of ascending basket cell dendrites and descending axonal collaterals participating in the Purkinje cell pericellular nest and the pinceaux. Scanning electronmicrographs displayed the three-dimensional relief of Purkinje pericellular nest formed by basket cell descending and transverse axonal collaterals. Transmission electron microscopy, used as a complementary technique, showed the synaptic contacts formed by basket cell axonal collaterals on Purkinje cell soma and the axosomatic contacts on basket cells by parallel and climbing fiber endings, basket cell axonal terminals and/or Purkinje cell recurrent axonal collaterals. Pre- and postsynaptic membrane specializations were mainly found in parallel fiber axosomatic contacts on basket cells, but not in the Purkinje cell pericellular basket and in other axosomatic contacts on basket cells. These latter findings have been adscribed to a phenomenon of cerebellar synaptic plasticity related with motor learning performance. The correlative microscopy approach demonstrates the potential value of these methodologies for studying the three-dimensional aspect of short intracortical circuits in the central nervous system.