Atlas of the Mouse Spinal Cord

This chapter provides the fundamental structural map of the spinal cord of the principal laboratory research animal, the mouse, and describes issues and procedures that are used in preparation of mouse spinal cord sections. The sections of mice spinal cord displayed in the atlas were stained either for Nissl or acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The atlas also includes a set of sections from a special series prepared by the Allen Institute for Brain Science. The Institute has prepared a large series of spinal cord sections to display gene patterns revealed by in situ hybridization (ISH), and the set presented is a reference set for study of normal anatomy of the spinal cord segments. The Allen Institute spinal cord sections were taken from a single spinal cord and stained serially with Nissl, AChE, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The laminae in the spinal cord gray matter are identified according to the schema developed by Bror Rexed (1952).