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Central Nervous System - Histology (view source)
Revision as of 15:05, 18 October 2011
, 15:05, 18 October 2011→Histology of the Spinal Cord
==Histology of the Spinal Cord==
==Histology of the Spinal Cord==
The spinal cord is composed to two discrete parts; the [[Spinal_Cord_-_Anatomy_%26_Physiology#White_Matter|white matter]] which is the outer part of the cord and the [[Spinal_Cord_-_Anatomy_%26_Physiology#Grey_Matter|grey matter]] which is the inner portions of the cord. The white matter is given this name due to its appearance in unfixed histological specimens in which the white nature of the tissue is caused by the myelination of ascending and descending [[Neurons_-_Anatomy_%26_Physiology|nerve fibres]]. The grey matter is also named after its unfixed histological appearance and contains the cell bodies of neurons as well as nerve fibres.
The spinal cord is composed to two discrete parts; the [[Spinal_Cord_-_Anatomy_%26_Physiology#White_Matter|white matter]] which is the outer part of the cord and the [[Spinal_Cord_-_Anatomy_%26_Physiology#Grey_Matter|grey matter]] which is the inner portions of the cord. The white matter is given this name due to its appearance in unfixed histological specimens in which the white nature of the tissue is caused by the myelination of ascending and descending [[Neurons_-_Anatomy_%26_Physiology|nerve fibres]]. The grey matter is also named after its unfixed histological appearance and contains the cell bodies of neurons as well as nerve fibres.
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Within the spinal cord the grey matter forms an H-shape where the ventral horns of the H are broader than the dorsal horns. The grey matter shape has also been likened to that of a butterfly. The grey matter also has a histologically visible central canal running through it.
[[Image:WIKIVETspinalcord1.jpg|thumb|centre|250px|Spinal Cord - © John Bredl]]
[[Image:WIKIVETspinalcord1.jpg|thumb|centre|250px|Spinal Cord - © John Bredl]]
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