Ultrastructural and morphometric studies of Purkinje cells of brindled mouse after administration of cupric chloride.

The mitochondrial and dendritic changes in Purkinje cells, which developed transiently in cupric chloride treated brindled mice, were investigated chronologically with light and electron microscopy. Both changes occurred predominantly in the anterior lobe of the cerebellum. The maximal mitochondrial changes coincided with dendritic changes, suggesting that these alterations were causally related. In the focally swollen dendrites there were disruption of neurotubules, abnormal mitochondria with electron-lucent or electron-dense matrix and large lamellar bodies. Quantitative analysis of the dendritic spine revealed significant differences in the spine area and synaptic length between the brindled mice and normal littermates.