GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Anatomically, the spinal cord runs from the top of the highest neck bone (the C1 vertebra) to approximately the level of the L1 vertebra, which is the highest bone of the lower back and is found just below the rib cage.

Detailed explanation-2: -In adults, the cord terminates at the level of L1-L2. Thus the cord spans within 20 bony vertebrae. In a child, it terminates at the upper border of L3. Each of these segments innervates a dermatome.

Detailed explanation-3: -As an adult, the spinal column grows longer than the spinal cord and they no longer relate to one another. The spinal cord ends around the L1 or L2 vertebrae in adults, forming the conus medullaris. The horsetail shaped area, which extends past the conus medullaris, is called the cauda equina.

Detailed explanation-4: -The spinal cord is a part of the central nervous system. It is a long pipe-like structure arising from the medulla oblongata, part of the brain consisting of a collection of nerve fibres, running through the vertebral column of the backbone.

Detailed explanation-5: -Within the spinal column lies the spinal cord, a vital aspect of the central nervous system (CNS). The three primary roles of the spinal cord are to send motor commands from the brain to the body, send sensory information from the body to the brain, and coordinate reflexes.