Spinal cord, rat (Gross, Low)

Structure List Cervical region Thoracic region Lumbar region Sacral region Brachial plexus Lumbosacral plexus

This specimen is a laminectomy exposing the central and part of the peripheral nervous system of the rat. Identify: Four regions of the spinal cord: Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacral Identify the brachial plexus composed of: Caudal Cervical and Cranial thoracic spinal nerves which supply branches to the upper, or thoracic, limb. Spinal nerves from the lumbar and sacral regions of the spinal cord supply the lumbosacral plexus which continues into the pelvic limb as the sciatic and other nerves. Compare the cross sectional size of the spinal cord in the four different regions.