Final answer:
A typical spinal nerve contains both sensory and motor axons, splits into dorsal and ventral nerve roots, and extends from the spinal cord to innervate the body. The spinal nerves include a dorsal root ganglion and participate in nerve plexuses for systemic innervation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A typical spinal nerve is an essential part of the peripheral nervous system, acting as a conduit for sensory and motor information between the spinal cord and the body. Each spinal nerve contains both sensory and motor axons, which are split into two nerve roots: the dorsal nerve root for sensory axons and the ventral nerve root for motor fibers. These nerves also feature a dorsal root ganglion, an enlargement that houses the cell bodies of the sensory neurons.
These spinal nerves extend outward from the vertebral column and reorganize through plexuses to innervate various body regions. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves named according to where they emerge from the spinal cord relative to the vertebrae, for instance, C1 to C8 for cervical nerves, T1 to T12 for thoracic nerves, and so on. These nerves facilitate the complex communication network needed for sensory perception and motor function.