Final answer:
The dorsoventral pattern of the spinal cord's grey matter arises during embryonic development, with the dorsal side associated with sensory functions and the ventral side with motor functions. Distinct regions called horns within the gray matter facilitate different aspects of sensory processing and motor output, while white matter provides the communication pathways.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pattern of distinct cell types in the grey matter of the spinal cord arises during embryonic development when the neural tube forms. The cells of the neural tube proliferate and differentiate, giving rise to the neurons and glia that make up the spinal cord structure. This differentiation leads to distinct dorsal and ventral regions, with the dorsal tissues being associated with sensory functions and the ventral tissues being associated with motor functions.
The gray matter is further subdivided into regions referred to as horns. The posterior horn is responsible for sensory processing, while the anterior horn sends out motor signals to skeletal muscles. A third region, the lateral horn, contains motor neurons of the autonomic nervous system and is present only in certain parts of the spinal cord.
Myelinated axons make up the 'white matter' and provide the pathways for communication along the spinal column. These axons carry signals between the gray matter and peripheral structures, facilitating both sensory perception and motor control. Enlargements in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spinal cord due to larger populations of neurons are responsible for input and output connections with limbs.