Author: Roberto Grujičić MD • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios MD, PhD Like the rest of the
central nervous system, the spinal cord is composed of white and gray matter. The only difference is that the gray matter in the spinal cord is internal to the white matter, whereas the brain has the opposite organization. The gray matter of the
spinal cord is a butterfly-shaped structure made up of neuronal cell bodies, glial cells and neuropile [unmyelinated axons, dendrites and glial cell processes]. The gray matter can be functionally divided into three main regions: In addition, on the basis of cytoarchitecture, the gray matter of the spinal cord can also be divided into layers [Rexed
laminae]. There are ten laminae in total and they are numbered sequentially [I-X] from dorsal to ventral.
Last reviewed: July 27, 2022
Reading time: 2 minutes
At the center of the spinal cord is a canal filled with cerebrospinal fluid known as the central canal. The gray matter which surrounds the central canal is composed of the anterior and posterior gray commissures that bridge the anterior and posterior horns of each half of the spinal cord.
Terminology | English: Grey matter English synonyms: Grey matter of spinal cord Latin: Substantia grisea Latin synonyms: Substantia grisea medullae spinalis |
Definition | A butterfly-shaped structure of the spinal cord made up of neuronal cell bodies, glial cells and neuropil. |
Divisions | Anterior, lateral and posterior horns; Ten Rexed laminae; Anterior and posterior commissures |
Learn everything about the intenal morphology of the spinal cord with the following study unit:
Sources
All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.
- Kiernan, J. A, Murray Llewellyn Barr, and Nagalingam Rajakumar: Barr's The Human Nervous System. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
- Moore, Keith L et al. The Developing Human. 9th ed., Elsevier-Saunders, 2013.
- Snell, Richard S. Clinical Neuroanatomy: 7th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010.
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