VC1.H1.1 Histology of the Spinal Cord

Spinal Cord Cross Section

Histology of the Spinal Cord:

  • In cross section, the spinal cord can be divided into two regions:
    • The grey matter

      • The grey matter forms an "H" shaped region
      • It contains the cell bodies of neurons as well as axons running to those neurons, and axons arising from the neuronal cell bodies

      The White Matter

      • The white matter lies peripherally and consists mainly of axons running longitudinally along the spinal cord
      • In both the grey matter and the white matter there are support cells, known as glial cells, in addition to the neurons
      • Numerous small blood vessels are present to provide nutrients