THE CEREBELLUM 



209 



cells (Fig. 150). It contains a relatively small number of stellate neurons, the 

 more superficial of which possess short axons and belong to Golgi's Type II. 

 Those more deeply situated have a highly specialized form and are known as 

 basket cells. From each of these there arises, in addition to several stout branch- 

 ing dendrites, a single characteristic axon, which runs through the molecular 

 layer in a plane at right angles to the long axis of the folium (Fig. 151). These 

 axons are at first very fine, but soon become coarse and irregular, giving off 

 numerous collaterals which are directed away from the surface of the cortex. 

 These collaterals and the terminal branches of the axons run toward the Purkinje 

 cells, about which their terminal arborizations form basket-like networks (Fig. 29) . 



Purkinje cell 

 Dentate nucleus ^ 



Brachium conjunc- 

 tivum 



Brachium pontis 



Restiform body 



Climbing fibers' 

 Mossy fibers -' 



x Basket cell 

 Granule cell 



Fig. 152. Diagram to illustrate the probable lines of conduction through the cerebellum. 



Nerve-fibers. The axons of the Purkinje cells form a considerable volume 

 of fibers directed away from the cortex. There are also two kinds of afferent 

 fibers which enter the cortex from the white center, and are known as climbing 

 and mossy fibers respectively. The latter are very coarse and give off numerous 

 branches ending within the granular layer. The terminal branches are provided 

 with characteristic moss-like appendages. These mossy tufts are intimately 

 related to the claw-like dendritic ramifications of the granule cells (Fig. 152). 

 The climbing fibers, somewhat finer than those of the preceding group, pass 

 through the molecular layer and become associated with the dendrites of the 

 Purkinje cells in the manner of a climbing vine. Branching repeatedly, they 

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