Final answer:
The cell body of the second neuron within the medial lemniscus pathway is located in the thalamus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cell body of the second neuron within the medial lemniscus pathway is located in the thalamus. In this pathway, the axons from the second neuron decussate, or cross the midline of the medulla, and continue to ascend the brain stem as a bundle called the medial lemniscus. These axons then terminate in the thalamus, where each synapses with the third neuron in their respective pathway. The third neuron in the system projects its axons to the postcentral gyrus of the cerebral cortex, where somatosensory stimuli are initially processed and the conscious perception of the stimulus occurs.