Final answer:
The sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division have different anatomical characteristics. In the sympathetic division, axons emerge from the thoracic and lumbar segments of the spinal cord, while in the parasympathetic division, axons emerge from the brainstem and sacral segments of the spinal cord. The lengths of the fibers also differ between the two divisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Comparing the anatomy of the sympathetic division with that of the parasympathetic division, we can see some key differences. In the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), axons emerge from the thoracic and lumbar segments of the spinal cord and innervate ganglia relatively close to or within the target organs. On the other hand, in the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), axons emerge from the brainstem and sacral segments of the spinal cord and innervate ganglia very close to or within the target organs.
Another difference is that in the SNS, the preganglionic fibers are short and the postganglionic fibers are long because the ganglia are close to the target effectors. In the PNS, it's the opposite: the preganglionic fibers are long and the postganglionic fibers are short due to the proximity of the ganglia to the target effectors.