Which type tissue on nerve cord
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The spinal cord (nerve cord) is composed of the following tissue types:
Tissues of the Spinal Cord
1. Nervous Tissue (the primary tissue)
The spinal cord is composed predominantly of nervous tissue, which has two main components:
Gray Matter (H-shaped inner core)
- Contains neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons
- Large motor neurons in the ventral (anterior) horns — these have large nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and cytoplasm rich in Nissl substance (rough endoplasmic reticulum), reflecting extensive protein synthesis
- Also contains interneurons and glial cells
White Matter (outer region surrounding gray matter)
- Contains primarily myelinated axons (ascending and descending tracts) running along the length of the cord
- Rich in oligodendrocytes (the glial cells that form myelin in the CNS)
- Appears white due to the myelin sheaths around the axons
2. Glial (Neuroglial) Cells — supporting cells within nervous tissue
| Cell Type | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Oligodendrocytes | White matter | Form myelin sheaths around CNS axons |
| Astrocytes | Throughout | Structural support, blood-brain barrier, cover CNS surface |
| Microglia | Throughout | Immune/phagocytic function |
| Ependymal cells | Line the central canal | Produce and circulate CSF |
3. Connective Tissue — the Meninges
Three layers of connective tissue surround and protect the spinal cord:
- Dura mater — tough, outermost layer
- Arachnoid mater — weblike middle layer with subarachnoid space (filled with CSF)
- Pia mater — thin innermost layer, closely applied to the cord surface
4. Vascular Tissue
Blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries) course through the subarachnoid space and into the cord parenchyma to supply oxygen and nutrients.
Summary: The nerve cord (spinal cord) is fundamentally composed of nervous tissue (neurons + glial cells), organized into gray matter (cell bodies) and white matter (myelinated tracts), enclosed by connective tissue meninges, and supplied by vascular tissue.
— Junqueira's Basic Histology, Text and Atlas, 17e | Histology: A Text and Atlas with Correlated Cell and Molecular Biology
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