The development of longitudinal patterns in the rabbit cerebellum.

Reconstruction of several AChE series (from day E 18 after conception till after birth and in maturity) demonstrate that reaction products are localized in alternating positive and negative longitudinal strips. Till day E 26 the AChE activity is topographically related to certain Purkinje cell (P-cell) clusters and located around P-cells. At day E 24 till day E 26 AChE activity shirts into the marginal layer. At day E 28 AChE activity is present at the P-cell layer, around P-Cell somata and their dendrites. The longitudinal band pattern is still present at this age. Around birth AChE activity shifts into the granular layer, constituting a longitudinal AChE pattern. The changes in the localization of AChE are first observed in the anterior lobe and occur later in the posterior lobe vermis and hemispheres. At maturity the longitudinal AChE activity has disappeared from the P-cell layer, but a longitudinal pattern remains present in the granular layer of lobules VIII, IX, X. High AChE activity is found in the granular layer of flocculus and paraflocculus. Within the molecular layer AChE positive Golgi-cells can be demonstrated.