Spinal Cord – Tutorial

Please read Unit 5 – Introduction to Nervous System Tissues prior to completing the activities in this chapter.

Introduction to the Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is the portion of the central nervous system responsible for carrying motor (efferent) commands from the brain to most body regions and sensory (afferent) information from most areas of the body up to the brain.  The distribution of motor and sensory signals (action potentials) away from and toward the spinal cord is accomplished by spinal nerves that exit the spinal cord and extend out to nearly all regions of the body via peripheral nerves.

The spinal cord exits the skull out the foramen magnum and extends inferiorly down the spine housed inside the vertebral foramen of individual vertebrae to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebrae in most adults.  The spinal cord is also protected by the meningeal membranes (dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater) which surround the spinal cord along its entire length.  Between the dura mater (outermost meningeal membrane) and the inside of the vertebral wall lies the epidural space which is packed with adipose tissue to help cushion the delicate tissues of the spinal cord.

The tutorials that follow will focus primarily on the gross organization of the spinal cord as seen in cross-sectional images.  Basic aspects of the functional organization of the spinal cord will also be covered in some of the tutorials.

Tutorial:  Use the image slider below to learn more about spinal cord cross-sections.

Microscopy:  Use the image slider below to learn how to use a microscope to study spinal cord cross-sections.

Tutorial:  Use the hotspot image below to learn more about regions of white matter in a spinal cord cross-section. 

Tutorial:  Use the hotspot image below to learn more about regions of gray matter in a spinal cord cross-section. 

Tutorial:  Use the image slider below to study numerous examples of spinal cord cross-sections.