Final answer:
The ventral ramus innervates skeletal muscles in the limbs and the anterior and lateral trunk, originating from the motor neurons in the ventral horn of the spinal cord, and extends to the periphery of the body to facilitate muscle contraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ventral ramus innervates the skeletal muscles and structures in the limbs and the anterior and lateral trunk. It originates from the ventral horn of the spinal cord, where large, multipolar lower motor neurons reside. These neurons are responsible for the contraction of skeletal muscles and their axons extend through the ventral nerve root to join spinal nerves that reach the periphery of the body. For example, the phrenic nerve, which is a systemic nerve from the cervical plexus, innervates the diaphragm. The wider ventral horns in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spinal cord enable the control of a larger number of muscles in these areas, particularly the appendicular muscles involved in fine motor control of the upper and lower limbs.
In the context of axial control, the axial muscles of the trunk are under the control of the anterior corticospinal tract, which does not decussate at the medulla. Instead, its axons remain anteriorly positioned until reaching the level where they will synapse with lower motor neurons located in the medial regions of the ventral horn.