Development of the human putamen: a morphometric study.
The development of the human putamen was studied using complete serial sections from the brains of 6 fetuses at 21, 23, 27, 30, 33 and 34 weeks of gestation (WG). Morphometric analysis revealed the following data. (1) The total number of putaminal neurons increased gradually from 21 to 33 WG, suggesting that the migration of putaminal neurons continues at least up to 33 WG, and the neuronal number increased markedly after 33 WG. (2) No neuronal death was observed from 21 to 34 WG. (3) Large-sized neurons 4-5 times the area of small-sized neurons appeared from 30 WG onward. The ratio of large neurons to the total putaminal neurons increased by up to 1.4% at 33 and 34 WG.
Nakae
Y
Y
Department of Pediatrics, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Goto
N
N
Nara
T
T
D002452:Cell Count; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D011699:Putamen / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*