Abstract

The microstructure of the vertebrate cerebellar cortex has been reviewed at the light of the information provided by comparative studies of Golgi light, confocal laser scanning, scanning, and transmission electrón microscopy. Material and Methods. The three-dimensional cytoarchitectonic arrangement and intracortical circuits were examined in several vertebrates taking advantage of cellular tomography and z-series of optodigital images of confocal laser scanning microscopy of the three-layered structure of the cerebellar cortex, depth of focus and three-dimensional secondary electrón images of conventional SEM and high-resolution íield emission SEM. Results. Confocal microscopy offered new informa­tion on intracortical circuits formed by mossy and climbing fibers. Scanning electrón microscopy by means of crvofracture method and freeze-etching replicas for TEM provided new images on hidden outer and inner surfaces of fractured cerebellar neurons. Conventional and high-resolution SEM permitted to obtain a three-dimensional image of the cytoarchitectonic arrangement of cerebellar neurons and of intracortical circuits established by afferent mossy and climbing fibers and of intrinsic cortical circuits formed by cerebel­lar neurons. Field emission high-resolution SEM offered new vistas of synaptic morphology, resolved the synaptic membrane complex, and imaged the postsynaptic receptor and/or postsynaptic membrane proteins. Conclusión. The application of these integrated microscopy approaches has been extremely important for new interpretations of cerebellar structural organization and information processing.