Cerebral cortex

Dr. Gholamreza Hassanzadeh

Professor of Anatomy
 Layers

this cell is called kajal cell or kajal retzius cell

1.Molecular
(Plexiform) layer I:
consists of apical
dendritic tufts of the
pyramidal neurons,
horizontally
organized axons,
Cajal-Retzius cells
and glial cells.
 Layers
Second layer is outer granular layer
consists of mainly granular cells with high density
high density granular cell
and small pyramidal cells are here

consist of mainly
granular cells and
small pyramidal
cells.
third layer is outer pyramidal outer pyramidal
consists of small and medium size
Layers
pyramidal cells layer three
can be divided into most superficial 3
a intermediate layer
3 B and deep layer
three C

Horizontally running
myelinated fibers consists of small and
makes the band of medium-sized
Baillarger stripe that pyramidal cells. Layer
can be appreciated III can be divided into
between layer IIIc most superficial IIIa,
and IV in some intermediate layer IIIb
isocortical regions. and deep layer IIIc.
 Layers
contains small
round granular cells
(spiny stellate cells,
spiny interneurons)
and small pyramidal
cells. Layer IV
shows the band of
Baillarger on the
outer side
conspicuous in the fourth layer is inner granular inner
granular it it has many granular cells
visual cortex; the
band is named as
the stripe of
Gennari
 contains the largest Layers
pyramidal cells.
Axons of the
pyramidal cells leave
the cortex and reach
subcortical areas.
Layer V is
subdivided into Va,
Vb and Vc sublayers.
The inner band of
Baillarger is observed
in layer V in myelin-
stained sections.
fifth layer is inner pyramidal or inner
pyramidal with large pyramidal cells this large
pyramidal cells are called pyramidal cells of
the Betz , betz was Ukrainian neuroanatomist
 sixth layer or deep layer is
Excitatory cells like polymorph or amorph layer you see
here excitatory cells like spiny
spiny stellate cells, stellate cells pyramidal cells invert
pyramidal neuron this invert neurons
pyramidal cells, are called martinoti cells Martinoti
cells invert neuron martinotticells
inverted pyramidal
neurons and
bipolar/fusiform cells,
are present in layer VI.
It also contains
inhibitory
interneurons.
 Axon of this cells come to the white matter

Cells of cortex
• The pyramidal cells have apices directed towards the external surface. Axons
arise from the center of the base of pyramidal cells while dendrites originate
from angles of the pyramidal cells. The axons of the pyramidal cells enter the
white matter as projection fibers. The pyramidal cells are further classified as
small, medium, and large size.
• The stellate/granule cells are around 8 µm in diameter and star-shaped.
Granule cells have small axons and multiple dendrites.
• The horizontal cells of Cajal are fusiform in shape and oriented horizontally
in the most superficial layer of the cortex.
• The fusiform cells are also fusiform in shape, but they are oriented vertically
and observed in the deep layer of the cortex.
• The cells of Martinotti are small multipolar cells and found in all layers of the
cerebral cortex
ere isn't in all area of the cortex
Layers
betz pyramidal cells okay just in
some area such as premotor
primary motor area you may see
Betz cells premotor or precentral
gyus you may see betz cells
 location of kajal cells is in The
Superficial layer or molecular layer

Types of Cortex and pyramidal cells of Betz are

located in the fifth layer inner
pyramidal
there are fusiform cells in the Deep
layer such as layer five and six and
invert neurons or Martinotti neurons

• Isocortex or Neocortex= 6 layers are located in the Deep layers and

Axon of these cells go to the
molecular layer

• Paleocortex= 3-5 layers

there are three types of Cortex in the human cerebral cortex in the

• Archicortex= 3 layers
human cerebral hemisphere there are three types of Cortex iscortex or
neocortex with six layers it's the most common type of the cortex
Palecortex or old cortex with three to five layer is the second type in the
preform area for olfaction a primary is location for olfactory impulses
preform cortex has three to five layers this is Palecortex and if you
remember in the cerebellum I told you from antogenic and phenogenic
point of view developmentally and evolutionary point of view first part
of the cerebellum that is formed is called Archicerebellum and then
Paleocereum and new part of the cerebellum is Neocerebelum here is
similar, the first part of the cortex that is formed is called Archicortex
with three layers , Arhicortex means
ancient
hippocompus and dented gyrus from limbic system and have
Archicortex , two parts from limbic system hippocampus and dented
gyrus they have three layers Archicortex
Olfactory area paleocortex has three to five layers and this is
paleocortex means old cortex and most parts of the cortex is neocortex
neocortex with six , neocortex is called isocortex with six laye
• The homotypical cortex is the part of the cerebral cortex where all six
layers are well defined. The heterotypic cortex is the part of the cerebral
cortex where all six layers are not well defined. It is further subdivided
into the granular and agranular cortex. In the granular cortex, granular
layers are well defined while pyramidal layers are poorly defined;
granular cortex is mostly seen in sensory areas. In the agranular cortex,
granular layers are poorly defined while pyramidal layers are well
defined. The agranular cortex is mostly seen in motor areas.
 Isocortex = Neocortex
A.Homotypic
B.Heterotypic
1) Granular: Postcentral gyrus
2) Agranular: Precentral gyrus
there are two types of isocortex or neocortex with six layer : homotypic
and
heterotypic
when these six layers are similar from density and from White without
any dominance between layers this type of isocortex is called homotypic
but
when two layers or most larger than other layers it is heterotypic there
are two types of heterotypic: isocortex granular and Agranular isocortex
precentral gyrus is a granular because pyramidal layers are larger and
granular layer are smaller
in the precentralGyrus granular are bigger larger and pyramidal layers
are smaller
I told you there are six layers: molecular , outer granular, outer
pyramidal, inner granular ,inner pyramidal and, polymorph or amorph is
there isn't any dominancy type of Cortex is called homotypic but when
granular layers are large and pyramidal layers are small this heterotypic
cortex is called granular or Agranular
when granular layers large and pyramidal layers are small this is Granular
such as postcentral gyrus
when pyramidal layers are large and granular layers are small this is
Agranular such as precentral gyrus
Archicortex
Hippocampus
in the hippocampus and dented gyrus we may see Archicortex
Or ancient cortex has three layers: molecular, layer pyramidal
layer ,polymorph layer in the hippocampus
and in the dented gyus molecular layer, granular layer, and polymorph
layer
what's the difference between granular and hippocompus and dented
gyus in the middle layer here is pyramidal here is
Granular
what's the difference between function of the them
pyramidal has efferent axon
and granular receive impulses
in the precentral Gyrus in pyramidal cells pyramidal layers are large and
granular layers are small because there are efferent fibers from here such
as corticospinal ,corticoabulbar
corticonuclear ,corticopontine fibers
but in the post Central gyus or primary sensory area granular layers are
large and pyramidal layers are small because postcentral receives
impulses , sensory impulses
dentate as granular layer middle layer is granular and in the
hippocompus middle layer is pyramidal
I will ask you the final exam ask this question this is hippocompus