stratum moleculare; plexiform layer; molecular layer

Introduction

Plexiform layer.

A term applied to any layer of brain tissue that contains few nerve-cell bodies & is composed largely of terminal arborizations of dendrites & axons.

Notable examples include:

• the superficial layer of the cerebral cortex (layer I ?)
• the superficial layer of the cerebellum containing parallel fibers of granule cells & their synapses upon Purkinje cell dendrites
• the layer of the hippocampus containing distal regions of pyramidal cell apical dendrites.
• the molecular layer of the retina.

More general terms

• brain structure

More specific terms

• stratum moleculare et substratum lacunosum (lacunar-molecular layer)

Component of

• hippocampus (hippocampal formation)
• cerebral cortex
• cerebellum
• retina