Purkinje cells and Purkinje fibers are both important structures in the nervous and cardiac systems, respectively, but they serve very different purposes and are located in different areas of the body.
Name
Purkinje cells are named after the Czech anatomist Jan Evangelista Purkyně, who discovered them in the 19th century. They are a type of large neuron found in the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain responsible for motor control and coordination.
On the other hand, Purkinje fibers are named in honor of the same scientist, but they refer to a network of specialized cardiac muscle fibers that are part of the heart’s conduction system.
Location
Purkinje cells are located in the cerebellar cortex, which is the outer layer of the cerebellum. They are the sole output neurons of the cerebellar cortex and have extensive dendritic trees that enable them to receive input from numerous sources.
In contrast, Purkinje fibers are found in the inner part of the heart, specifically in the subendocardial layer of the ventricles. They are part of the heart’s electrical conduction system and are important for coordinating heart contractions.
Function
The primary function of Purkinje cells is to facilitate the processing of motor information and to help coordinate voluntary movements. They integrate signals from various parts of the brain to refine motor commands before they are sent to the muscles.
Purkinje fibers, however, play a crucial role in the heart’s rhythm and contractility. They conduct electrical impulses rapidly through the ventricles, ensuring that the heart muscles contract in a synchronized manner for effective pumping of blood throughout the body.
In summary, while both structures are named after the same scientist and share a common role in signal transmission, Purkinje cells are neurons in the brain that assist with motor control, whereas Purkinje fibers are specialized cardiac muscle fibers that maintain the electrical conduction system of the heart.