The emboliform nucleus (or anterior interposed nucleus) is a
deep cerebellar nucleus that lies immediately to the
medial side of the
nucleus dentatus
The dentate nucleus is a cluster of neurons, or nerve cells, in the central nervous system that has a dentate – tooth-like or serrated – edge. It is located within the deep white matter of each cerebellar hemisphere, and it is the largest sin ...
, and partly covering its
hilum. It is one among the four pairs of deep cerebellar nuclei, which are from lateral to medial: the
dentate
Dentate may refer to:
* A species having dentition
* An energy-dissipating baffle block in a spillway
* An individual not being edentulous
* Dentate gyrus of the hippocampus
* Dentate nucleus of the cerebellum
* Denticity in chemistry
* Dentat ...
,
interposed (which consists of the emboliform and
globose
A sphere () is a geometrical object that is a three-dimensional analogue to a two-dimensional circle. A sphere is the set of points that are all at the same distance from a given point in three-dimensional space.. That given point is the ce ...
), and
fastigial nuclei. These nuclei can be seen using
Weigert's elastic stain
Weigert's elastic stain is a combination of stains used in histology which is useful in identifying elastic fibers. Often orcein or a combination of resorcinol and fuchsine are used for staining. For counterstaining cell nuclei nuclear fast red or ...
.
''Emboliform'', from Ancient Greek, means "shaped like a plug or wedge".
Structure
The emboliform nucleus is a wedge-shaped structure of
gray matter
Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries. Grey matter is distinguis ...
found at the medial side of the hilum of the
dentate nucleus
The dentate nucleus is a cluster of neurons, or nerve cells, in the central nervous system that has a dentate – tooth-like or serrated – edge. It is located within the deep white matter of each cerebellar hemisphere, and it is the largest si ...
. Its
neuron
A neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that communicates with other cells via specialized connections called synapses. The neuron is the main component of nervous tissue in all animals except sponges and placozoa. N ...
s display a similar structure from those of the dentate nucleus. In some mammals the emboliform nucleus is continuous with the
globose nucleus
The globose nucleus is one of the deep cerebellar nuclei. It is located medial to the emboliform nucleus and lateral to the fastigial nucleus. This nucleus contains primarily large and small multipolar neurons.
The ''globose nucleus'' and embolif ...
, forming together the
interposed nucleus
The interposed nucleus is part of the deep cerebellar complex and is composed of the globose nucleus and the emboliform nucleus. It is located in the roof (dorsal aspect) of the fourth ventricle, lateral to the fastigial nucleus. It receives its ...
. When present, the interposed nucleus can be divided in an anterior and a posterior interposed nucleus, considered homologues of the emboliform and globose nuclei, respectively.
Function
As a part of the interposed nucleus, the emboliform participates in the
spinocerebellum
The anatomy of the cerebellum can be viewed at three levels. At the level of gross anatomy, the cerebellum consists of a tightly folded and crumpled layer of cortex, with white matter underneath, several deep nuclei embedded in the white matte ...
, a system that regulates the precision of limb movements.
Axon
An axon (from Greek ἄξων ''áxōn'', axis), or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see spelling differences), is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically conducts electrical impulses known as action po ...
s leaving the emboliform exit through the
superior cerebellar peduncle
In the human brain, the superior cerebellar peduncle (brachium conjunctivum) is a paired structure of white matter that connects the cerebellum to the midbrain. It consists mainly of efferent fibers, the cerebellothalamic tract that runs from a cer ...
and reach the
red nucleus
The red nucleus or nucleus ruber is a structure in the rostral midbrain involved in motor coordination. The red nucleus is pale pink, which is believed to be due to the presence of iron in at least two different forms: hemoglobin and ferritin. ...
in the
midbrain
The midbrain or mesencephalon is the forward-most portion of the brainstem and is associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation. The name comes from the Greek ''mesos'', " ...
and several
thalamic nuclei which project into areas of the
cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex, also known as the cerebral mantle, is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain in humans and other mammals. The cerebral cortex mostly consists of the six-layered neocortex, with just 10% consisting of ...
that control limb movement.
References
External links
* https://web.archive.org/web/20150621011739/http://www.mona.uwi.edu/fpas/courses/physiology/neurophysiology/Cerebellum.htm
* https://web.archive.org/web/20080405060224/http://www.lib.mcg.edu/edu/eshuphysio/program/section8/8ch6/s8ch6_30.htm
NIF Search - Emboliform Nucleusvia the
Neuroscience Information Framework
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Cerebellum