The grey matter of the dorsal horn of the adult human spinal cord, including comparisons with general somatic and visceral efferent cranial nerve nuclei
Abdel-Maguid, T.E.; Bowsher, D.
Journal of Anatomy 142: 33-58
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-8782 PMID: 17103589 Document Number: 255913
Neurons in the grey matter of the spinal cord and cranial nerve nuclei of the adult human have been impregnated by the Golgi technique. The cells were classified according to objective criteria based on dendritic numbers and branching pattern. The neurons described are those of the first six spinal grey laminae and the sensory trigeminal and solitary nuclei, with the exception of interneurons and proprioneurons described previously by Abdel-Maguid and Bowsher. On the basis of comparison with neurons of known connections or functions in other species, an attempt has been made to identify spinothalamic and spinoreticular cells, as well as islet and stalked cells. The latter in particular are a heterogeneous group, and the concept of the stalked cell as a single entity is questioned. Of the 31 different cell types observed in the spinal dorsal horn, 18 did not correspond with any previously described or illustrated neurons. Some preliminary observations are made on the alignment of the cell body with the major axis of the dendritic field; this seems to offer a method whereby orientation and perhaps size of dendrite field can be predicted from Nissl-stained sections. The laminar pattern in the adult human cervical and lumbar enlargement is described. The overall pattern of dendritic orientation in the dorsal horn, as well as the shape of dendritic domains, is described and illustrated.