Purkinje cell

noun

Pur·​kin·​je cell (ˌ)pər-ˈkin-jē- How to pronounce Purkinje cell (audio)
: any of numerous nerve cells that occupy the middle layer of the cerebellar cortex and are characterized by a large globose body with massive dendrites directed outward and a single slender axon directed inward

Examples of Purkinje cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The principal type of neuron in the cerebellum, called the Purkinje cell, is widely branching like a fan coral, yet flattened and nearly two-dimensional. R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 31 Mar. 2024 However, while cells in an organism generally carry the same source code, a retinal cell differs from a Purkinje cell thanks to the actual genes that are expressed, or turned on, in that cell. Christof Koch, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Jan Purkinje

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Purkinje cell was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near Purkinje cell

Cite this Entry

“Purkinje cell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Purkinje%20cell. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

Purkinje cell

noun
: any of numerous nerve cells that occupy the middle layer of the cerebellar cortex and are characterized by a large globe-shaped body with massive dendrites directed outward and a single slender axon directed inward

called also Purkinje neuron

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