Betz cell: Definition from Answers.com

Neuron: Betz cell
A human neocortical pyramidal neuron such as a Betz Cell stained via Golgi technique.
Location	Layer V of Cortex in primary motor cortex
Function	excitatory projection neuron to spinal cord
Neurotransmitter	Glutamate
Morphology	Multipolar Pyramidal -- some of the longest axons in the body.
Presynaptic connections	Superficial cortical layers, premotor area
Postsynaptic connections	Ventral horn of the spinal cord
NeuroLex ID	sao786552500
This box: view • talk

Betz cells are pyramidal cell neurons located within the fifth layer of the grey matter in the primary motor cortex. They are named after Vladimir Alekseyevich Betz, who described them in his work published in 1874.^[1] These neurons are the largest in the central nervous system, sometimes reaching 100 μm in diameter.^[2]^[3] Betz cells send their axons down to the spinal cord where in humans they synapse directly with anterior horn cells, which in turn synapse directly with their target muscles. While Betz cells have one apical dendrite typical to pyramidal neurons, they have more primary dendritic shafts, and these do not leave the soma only at basal angles but rather branch out from almost any point asymmetrically.^[4] These perisomatic and basal dendrites project into all cortical layers, but most of their horizontal arbors populate layers V and VI, some reaching down into the white matter.^[5] According to one study, Betz cells represent about 10% of the total pyramidal cell population in layer Vb of the human primary motor cortex.^[6]

References

^ Betz W. (1874) Anatomischer Nachweis zweier Gehirncentra. Centralblatt für die medizinischen Wissenschaften. 12:578-580, 595-599.
^ Purves, Dale, George J. Augustine, David Fitzpatrick, William C. Hall, Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, James O. McNamara, and Leonard E. White (2008). Neuroscience. 4th ed.. Sinauer Associates. pp. 432-4. ISBN 978-0-87893-697-7.
^ Nolte, J. The Human Brain, 5th ed. Mosby: Missouri; 2002, p.527. ISBN 0-323-01320-1
^ Braak H, Braak E. (1976) The pyramidal cells of Betz within the cingulate and precentral gigantopyramidal field in the human brain. A Golgi and pigmentarchitectonic study. Cell Tissue Res. 172(1):103-19. PMID 991201
^ Meyer G. (1987) Forms and spatial arrangement of neurons in the primary motor cortex of man. J Comp Neurol 262:402–428. PMID 3655019
^ Rivara CB, Sherwood CC, Bouras C, Hof PR. (2003) Stereologic characterization and spatial distribution patterns of Betz cells in the human primary motor cortex. Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 270(2):137-51. PMID 12524689 free fulltext article (PDF) Extended HTML version

External links

BrainMaps at UCDavis Betz cell

NIF Search - Betz Cell via the Neuroscience Information Framework

This neuroanatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

v • d • e Cerebrum cortex types (TA A14.1.09.301-320, GA 9.845)

Structure types	Isocortex (Proisocortex) · Neocortex (Allocortex) · Archicortex · Paleocortex Band of Gennari

Layers	External granular layer

Cells	Betz cell · Pyramidal cell · Stellate cell

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Donate to Wikimedia

	Who was Carl Betz first wife and what was their sons name? Read answer...
	How do you differentiate the betz limit with respect to v2? Read answer...
	What do cell do? Read answer...

	How Betz limit comes in wind Brade design?
	Where isGe betz lab in saudi arabia?
	What do your cells do for you?

		Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Betz cell". Read more