Spinal cord (cervical)

                             
Cell types: Neuron, oligodendrocyte, astrocyte, microglia, ependymal cell
 

Differential diagnosis:
 Other nervous tissues such as the peripheral nerve have holes which are characteristic and the cerebral cortex does not have H-shaped grey matter with a central canal. This is the main distinguishing feature of the spinal cord.

Diagnostic Features:
a. Tissue is compact (e.g. liver) and there is no lumen visible. It consists mainly of neuronal cells with prominent axons (nerve fibers).
b. Darkly stained H-shaped central structure which is the grey matter. Also visible are the central canal placed centrally and the posterior ventral and lateral horns of the grey matter.
c. Cervical region spinal cord has the largest white matter in the spinal cord.

Draw your own section here and make your diagnosis by data base selection below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Database selection: Practical Tissue Gross

Level 1: Select  compact
Level 2: Select nervous tissue from list of sclerous, muscular, connective, organ-glands and nervous tissues. Tissue has visible fibers (axons) and the relative homogeneity of nervous sections.
Level 3: Select  spinal cord in view of the H shaped grey matter.

White matter cervical spinal cord is the largest in the spinal cord

Note the shape of the various horns of the grey matter in the cervical region.

 

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