Cytophotometric re-investigation of DNA content in Purkinje cells of the rat cerebellum

Abstract

Stage scanning cytophotometry of Feulgen-stained cell nuclei of the cerebellum of young adult rats revealed that the absorbance values of the majority of the Purkinje cells show a Gaussian distribution with a low coefficient of variance. The peak absorbance of this population is the same as that of the granule cells. About 1% of the Purkinje cells measured, were found to have a stain content which indicates a 4C amount of DNA. For both the granular and the Purkinje cell population, a very small number of nuclei possesses absorbance values intermediate between 2C and 4C. The present data suggest prevalent diploidy of the Purkinje cells, and are at variance with those postulating a 'tetraploid and/or hyperdiploid' status of this population.