Nissl bodies
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\ ˈnis-əl- 
\
\Medical Definition of Nissl bodies
: discrete granular bodies of variable size that occur in the cell body and dendrites but not the axon of neurons, are composed of RNA and polyribosomes, are stained with basic dyes (as methylene blue), and give a striped appearance to the cell
— called also Nissl granules, tigroid substance
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