Applications from minority institutions, minority individuals, and women are particularly encouraged. The principal investigator will plan, direct, and, along with any co-investigators, perform the research. A cover letter that identifies the program staff member who agrees to accept the assigned application must be sent with the application. Early treatment and improved hospital care have increased survival, but at great cost. Specialized cell populations within the cord are the substrates for these functions.
Motoneurons extend long axons peripherally to innervate skeletal muscle.
These motoneurons receive information from descending tracts of the brain both directly and indirectly via interneurons in the spinal cord gray matter. Axons of dorsal root ganglion cells connect peripheral sensory receptors to spinal interneurons, to motoneurons, and to brain centers. Radial glia enclose the cord like the rim and spokes of a wheel, defining compartments for ascending and descending fiber systems. Astrocytes contribute to the blood-spinal cord barrier and provide a wide variety of support functions. Oligodendrocytes myelinate axons, and provide for rapid conduction of neuronal signals.