Regional differences in the distribution of lipofuscin in Purkinje cell perikarya. A quantitative pigmentarchitectonic study of the cerebellar cortex of senile albino rats.

The distribution of lipofuscin in the perikarya of Purkin je cells of vermal and hemispheric lobules has been determined quantitatively in 7 rats, 30-38 months old, by the point-counting method. On the basis of morphologically and statistically significant differences a pigmentarchitectonics of the cerebellar cortex is established. The Purkinje cells of lobule VIa (Larsell 1952) are extremely lipofuscin-rich. The Purkinje cells of the hemispheres, lobules V, Vlb + c and VII contain considerable amounts of a finely granular lipofuscin, the Purkinje cells of lobules I-III and VIIIIXa a globular type of lipofuscin. The Purkinje cells of sublobule XI d c and X are lipofuscin-poor cells. Three types of lipofuscin ha ve been identified in the light microscope.