Mary Frederick answered
The difference between the dorsal and ventral roots lies in the function of each. They are part of the spinal motor structures of the body.The spinal cord is divided into the dorsal half and the ventral half. The ventral roots come out of the spinal cord and the dorsal roots go into the spinal cord.
The dorsal root contains grey matter called dorsal horns and these are related to sensory perception. They receive information from the periphery (surrounding area) through the dorsal root. The ventral root has ventral horns, which contain motor neurons. The axons of these neurons pass through the cord by way of the ventral roots and move directly to the muscles.
Cell bodies called dorsal root ganglion are located along the dorsal root and inside the dorsal root ganglion are receptor neurons which sends messages to the periphery. If, you stump your toe, the nerve endings in the tip of your toe sends a pain message to the cell body in the dorsal root ganglion, because it is part of the dorsal root.
Go to thalamus.wustl.edu to view the dorsal and ventral roots and read about all the spinal motor structures and their functions within the body.
The dorsal root contains grey matter called dorsal horns and these are related to sensory perception. They receive information from the periphery (surrounding area) through the dorsal root. The ventral root has ventral horns, which contain motor neurons. The axons of these neurons pass through the cord by way of the ventral roots and move directly to the muscles.
Cell bodies called dorsal root ganglion are located along the dorsal root and inside the dorsal root ganglion are receptor neurons which sends messages to the periphery. If, you stump your toe, the nerve endings in the tip of your toe sends a pain message to the cell body in the dorsal root ganglion, because it is part of the dorsal root.
Go to thalamus.wustl.edu to view the dorsal and ventral roots and read about all the spinal motor structures and their functions within the body.