Cytoarchitecture of lateral cuneate nucleus in the buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

The lateral cuneate nucleus (LCN) (or nucleus of von Monakow) is a relay nucleus conveying proprioceptive stimuli of the muscles from the upper half of the body to the cerebellum. The cytoarchitecture of lateral cuneate nucleus of the buffalo has been described by materials collected from eight buffalos. Serial and semi serial sections of brain stem were stained with nissl stain. The nucleus first appeared as a group of two or three neurons in the dorso-lateral tegmentum of the medulla immediately ventral to the dorsal surface of the brain stem. The nucleus was composed of small and medium sized neurons. The majority of medium sized neurons were oval, round and stellate in shape. The nucleus of these neurons was central or eccentric and the position of the nucleolus was variably central and darkly stained. The shape of the small neurons was triangular and fusiform with a large central nucleus. The average true diameter of the cell body and the nucleus respectively for medium sized neurons in the lateral cuneate nucleus were 34.12 ±0.56μm and 14.26 ±0.19μm. Medium sized neurons were dispersed throughout the LCN. Medium sized neurons had central nuclei and darkly stained fine to coarse Nissl substance. Small sized neurons tended to concentrate mainly at two poles of the nucleus comparable to the cat. Average true diameter of the cell body and nucleus of the small sized neurons were 21.02 ±0.38µm and 10.90±0.19µm, respectively. The Nissl substance in small neurons appeared coarse and darkly stained. These findings yield some light on the structure of the lateral cuneate nucleus of one of the largest animals (the buffalo).