These slides have been available as demonstrations in the laboratory. Review the descriptions of these tissues on your histology sheet, especially the spinal cord. Available here are just three micrographs. The are:

MOTOR NEURON
MOTOR END PLATE
SPINAL CORD

The nerves that carry the stimuli that cause your body's muscles to contract at MOTOR neurons. Their structure is different from sensory neurons. The cell body or perikaryon (A) is filled with chromatophilic substances which pick up the stain in this micrograph. The cell's axon can not be distinguished from its dendrites in the micrograph. B marks the axon and dendrite threads. The "C's" marks the neuroglia cells (dark spots) and the neurofibrils.

[TOP]

Skeletal muscles (C) are stimulated by nerve impulses carried by motor neurons. An axon (A) that carries the impulse away from the nerve body ends in little pads on muscle fibers called motor end plates (B). [TOP]

"A" marks the central canal. "B" is the anterior medial fissure. The posterior medial sulcus is not seen in this preparation. C is the posterior horn composed of axons of the sensory neuron. D is the anterior horn composed of the cell bodies of motor neurons. C and D are gray matter. Outside the horns and the commissure that connects them is the white matter.

This page was last updated in August, 1997.

All micrographs are the property of Sherri Wick. Students of Biology 2740 and 2840 are welcome to use this page in the study and review of lecture and lab materials in the Human Physiology and Anatomy courses.

If you have comments about this Web site that you would like to share , please use the "Comments Page" available at this site.