Are centrioles really absent in human neurons? A booklet (issued by my school) claims, > Centrioles, formerly believed to be absent in neurons, have been described in neurons and may be associated with the production and maintenance of neuro(micro)tubules in them. I was under the impression that mature human neurons are totally _devoid_ of centrioles. Being something circulated at a school, it lacks niceties such as citations/references. I've done a spot of Googling, but that didn't yield anything confirming the claim in the booklet. * * * Q- As per latest studies/info. do (mature) human neurons really possess centrioles?

You asked for _"latest studies/info"_... Funnily enough, mature neurons with centrioles were described by Cajal (who needs no introduction) in 1911.

If you want a more modern source, you can see Jacobson (1978):

> Microtubules associated with the cilia and centriole are present in all young neurons and many **mature** neurons and glia. Neuronal cilia and centrioles can be seen very easily by light microscopy in sections impregnated with silver by the Nauta method (H. A. Dahl, 1963). Centrioles can also be shown by light microscopy in neurons stained by other histological methods. (emphasis mine)

* * *

Sources:

* CAJAL, S. RAMON Y. (1911). Histologie du système nerveux de l'Homme et des Vertébrés (trans. L. Azoulay, 1952), vol. i. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas.
* Jacobson, M. (1978). Developmental Neurobiology. Boston, MA: Springer US.