purkinje
purkinje — noun
- purkinjesingular
- purkinjesplural
1. A large type of nerve cell located in the cerebellum — the brain region that man
A large type of nerve cell located in the cerebellum — the brain region that manages balance and physical coordination. Each cell has many branch-like extensions that collect signals from other nerve cells, helping the body learn smooth and well-coordinated movements.
Purkinje cells prevent a dancer's leg from jerking by sending precisely timed inhibitory signals.
pattern: prevent [noun] from [verb]-ing
When Purkinje cells are damaged, a person may have trouble walking in a straight line.
passive: Purkinje cells + are damaged
Using glass electrodes, Omar recorded the rhythmic firing patterns of Purkinje cells in awake mice.
Chronic alcohol use can cause irreversible degeneration of Purkinje cells, leading to balance problems.
Dr. Tanaka stained Purkinje cells with a fluorescent dye to trace their elaborate dendrites.
- Purkinje neuron
Used interchangeably in scientific writing, though 'neuron' emphasises the cell's role in transmitting signals rather than its structure.
用法筆記
Always capitalised as a proper name because the term comes from the Czech scientist Jan Evangelista Purkyně who discovered these cells. Frequently used attributively before anatomical nouns such as "cell", "fiber", "layer", or "neuron".