Begin Magnification

The microscope is an amazing thing. Light microscopes bend light such that the image of the specimen is magnified at different levels. By magnifying sections of brains we can see and learn so much about these brains and their structures. The neuron is the basic building block of all nervous systems. Go to this page for a detailed discussion of the neuron.

The next couple of pages contain photomicrographs (pictures taken through a microscope) of sections of human, monkey, cat, rat, and frog neocortex (except in the frog), hindbrain, and cerebellum. You will have the option of viewing each at different levels of magnification: 4x, 10x, and 20x.

When you study and compare these photographs, try to observe any noticeable differences or similarities between the cells of the different animals. Click one of the buttons below to begin.