Final answer:
The cell body (soma) of sensory neurons is located in the dorsal root ganglia, while the soma of motor neurons is found in the ventral horn of the spinal cord.
Step-by-step explanation:
The location of the cell body, or soma, of motor and sensory neurons is different within the nervous system due to their distinct functions. For sensory neurons, the somas are located in the dorsal root ganglia. These are clusters of neuron cell bodies outside the central nervous system that convey sensory information to the spinal cord. The dorsal root ganglia are clearly depicted in Figure 13.19 showing sensory neuron cell bodies and their axons.
Motor neurons, on the other hand, have their somas in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. Specifically, these motor neurons, which are responsible for stimulating muscle contraction, are the somatic motor neurons of the somatic nervous system. Details about the ventral horn's output and the structure of motor neurons can be seen in Figure 11.3.2 and the description of large multipolar neurons present there.
The soma is essential as the site where the nucleus and mitochondria are located, and it integrates signals that the neuron receives. The somatic nervous system's output pathways are also shown, illustrating how motor neurons from the ventral horn project to the muscles they control.