GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Surrounding the ependymal layer is the gray matter – a region containing cell bodies – shaped like the letter “H” or a “butterfly”. The two “wings” of the butterfly are connected across the midline by the dorsal gray commissure and below the white commissure (Figure 3.6).

Detailed explanation-2: -The H-shaped area of the spinal cord is called grey matter. The neurons and their dendrites of the spinal cord are contained within this H-shaped region.

Detailed explanation-3: -Spinal gray matter is butterfly-shaped. It extends from the ependymal cells lining the central canal to the surrounding white matter. Spinal gray matter is divided bilaterally into dorsal horn, intermediate substance, and ventral horn. At thoracolumbar levels, intermediate substance features a lateral horn.

Detailed explanation-4: -The dorsal root ganglia lie along the vertebral column by the spine. The dorsal root ganglia develops in the embryo from neural crest cells, not the neural tube. Hence, the spinal ganglia can be regarded as grey matter of the spinal cord that became translocated to the periphery.