Cytoarchitecture

/ˌsaɪtoʊˈɑːrkɪˌtɛkʧər/ noun

Definition

The arrangement and organization of different types of cells within a tissue or organ, especially the layered structure of the brain cortex.

Etymology

From Greek 'kytos' (cell) + Latin 'architectura' (structure/design). Coined in late 19th-century neuroscience to describe the observable patterns of cellular layering.

Kelly Says

The cytoarchitecture of the human cortex is so consistent that neurologists can identify Brodmann's areas—functional brain regions—just by staining tissue and looking at cell patterns, making this one of biology's most useful 'maps'!

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