White Matter

Description

White matter is one of the two components of the central nervous system and consists mostly of glial cells and myelinated axons that transmit signals from one region of the cerebrum to another and between the cerebrum and lower brain centers. White matter tissue of the freshly cut brain appears pinkish white to the naked eye because myelin is composed largely of lipid tissue veined with capillaries. Its white color is due to its usual preservation in formaldehyde. A 20 year-old male has around 176,000 km of myelinated axons in his brain [Source: Wikipedia].

Structure

Anatomical System 4331 ➥
- anatomical site 223 ➥
  - head and neck
  - thorax 1 ➥
    - thoracic wall
  - abdomen
  - pelvis
  - perineum
  - upper limb
  - lower limb
  - whole body 30 ➥
  - adipose tissue 190 ➥
  - mucosa
  - spine 2 ➥
- cardiovascular system 62 ➥
  - heart 40 ➥
    - atrium
    - ventricle 2 ➥
      - left ventricle 2 ➥
    - endocardium
    - myocardium
    - pericardium
    - cardiac valve
    - cardiac conducting system
  - artery 15 ➥
    - aorta 2 ➥
    - arterial intima 5 ➥
    - arterial media
    - arterial adventitia
    - carotid artery
    - coronary artery
  - vein 1 ➥
    - venous intima 1 ➥
    - venous media
    - venous adventitia
  - capillary
- respiratory system 187 ➥
  - nose
  - sinus
  - larynx 1 ➥
  - trachea
  - bronchus
  - lung 175 ➥
    - alveolus 4 ➥
  - pleura
  - diaphragm
- hematological system 385 ➥
  - bone marrow 51 ➥
    - hematopoietic stem cells 6 ➥
    - mesenchymal stem cell 37 ➥
  - blood 241 ➥
    - plasma 40 ➥
    - myeloid progenitor cell 1 ➥
- lymphoreticular system 2 ➥
  - lymph
  - lymph node
  - tonsil
  - spleen
- alimentary system 123 ➥
  - oral cavity 10 ➥
    - tongue 1 ➥
    - salivary gland 3 ➥
    - tooth 3 ➥
    - gum
  - pharynx 5 ➥
    - nasopharynx
    - oropharynx 3 ➥
    - hypopharynx 1 ➥
  - oesophagus 9 ➥
  - stomach 7 ➥
    - gastric mucosa 1 ➥
  - intestine 19 ➥
    - small intestine 7 ➥
      - duodenum
      - jejunum 1 ➥
      - ileum 1 ➥
    - vermiform appendix
    - large intestine 7 ➥
      - colorectal 2 ➥
        
        colon 1 ➥
        
        appendix
        
        rectum 1 ➥
      - anus 2 ➥
      - cecum
  - mesentery
  - omentum
  - peritoneum
  - liver and biliary system 61 ➥
    - liver 60 ➥
    - gall bladder
    - bile duct
  - pancreas 5 ➥
    - exocrine pancreas
- urogenital system 301 ➥
  - urinary system 132 ➥
    - kidney 130 ➥
      - nephron 7 ➥
        
        renal corpuscle
        
        glomerus
        
        renal tubule 6 ➥
        
        renal proximal convoluted tubule
        
        renal distal convoluted tubule
        
        loop of Henle
        
        renal collecting duct
      - renal vasculature 5 ➥
      - glomerulus 5 ➥
    - ureter
    - bladder 1 ➥
    - urethra
  - reproductive system 169 ➥
    - male reproductive system 88 ➥
      - testis
        
        seminiferous tubule
      - epididymis
      - prostate 2 ➥
      - vas deferens
      - penis 83 ➥
        
        glans
        
        foreskin 83 ➥
    - female reproductive system 81 ➥
      - ovary 76 ➥
      - uterine tube
      - uterus 3 ➥
        
        cervix 1 ➥
        
        endometrium
        
        myometrium 1 ➥
      - vagina
      - vulva
      - breast 1 ➥
        
        mammary gland 1 ➥
- endocrine system 10 ➥
  - endocrine pancreas
    - islets of Langerhans
  - pineal gland 1 ➥
  - pituitary gland 1 ➥
  - thyroid
  - parathyroid
  - adrenal gland 2 ➥
    - adrenal cortex
    - adrenal medulla
- musculoskeletal system 529 ➥
  - bone 12 ➥
    - ulna 1 ➥
    - femur 1 ➥
  - cartilage 17 ➥
  - joint 3 ➥
    - synovium 1 ➥
    - ligament
    - meniscus
  - muscle 494 ➥
    - skeletal muscle 358 ➥
    - smooth muscle 1 ➥
  - tendon 1 ➥
  - fascia
- integument system 1602 ➥
  - skin 1595 ➥
    - epidermis 7 ➥
    - dermis 60 ➥
  - appendages 4 ➥
    - hair follicle 1 ➥
    - hair 2 ➥
    - nail bed
    - nail
    - sweat gland 1 ➥
    - sebaceous gland
  - subcutaneous 2 ➥
- nervous system 767 ➥
  - central nervous system 737 ➥
    - brain 734 ➥
      - cerebrum 334 ➥
        
        cerebral cortex 334 ➥
        
        frontal lobe 84 ➥
        
        prefrontal cortex 3 ➥
        
        parietal lobe 78 ➥
        
        temporal lobe 31 ➥
        
        occipital lobe
        
        visual
        
        insula
        
        olfactory bulb
        
        anterior olfactory nucleus
        
        lateral olfactory stria
        
        medial olfactory stria
        
        olfactory tubercle
        
        primary olfactory cortex
        
        secondary olfactory cortex
        
        hippocampus 137 ➥
        
        parahippocampal gyrus
        
        basal nuclei
      - hypothalamus 1 ➥
        
        preoptic nucleus
        
        supraoptic nucleus
        
        suprachiasmatic nucleus
        
        paraventricular nucleus
        
        infundibular nucleus
        
        anterior nucleus
        
        dorsomedial nucleus
        
        ventromedial nucleus
        
        lateral nucleus
        
        posterior nucleus
        
        premamillary nucleus
        
        tuberomamillary nucleus
        
        medial mamillary nucleus
        
        lateral mamillary nucleus
        
        lateral tuberal nucleus
      - brain stem 12 ➥
        
        midbrain 2 ➥
        
        crus cerebri
        
        colliculi
        
        substantia nigra 2 ➥
        
        red nucleus
        
        periaqueductal grey matter
        
        oculomotor nucleus
        
        trochlear nucleus
        
        mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus
        
        pons 10 ➥
        
        vestibular nuclei
        
        cochlear nuclei
        
        superior olivary nucleus
        
        trapezoid nucleus
        
        nucleus of the lateral lemniscus
        
        abducent nucleus
        
        facial nucleus
        
        salivatory nuclei
        
        trigeminal nucleus
      - cerebellum 14 ➥
        
        cerebellum cortex
        
        cerebellum nuclei
      - tract 1 ➥
        
        corpus callosum 1 ➥
      - ventricular system
      - cerebrospinal fluid
      - meninges
      - white matter 5 ➥
      - grey matter 2 ➥
      - blood brain barrier 4 ➥
    - spinal cord
  - peripheral nervous system 25 ➥
    - visual apparatus 17 ➥
      - globe
      - eyelid 1 ➥
      - lacrimal gland
      - conjunctiva
      - cornea
      - sclera
      - lens 6 ➥
      - vitreous humor 1 ➥
      - iris
      - ciliary body
      - choroid
      - retina
      - optic nerve
      - trabecular meshwork
    - auditory apparatus 8 ➥
      - external ear
      - middle ear
      - tympanum
      - auditory tube
      - auditory ossicle
      - internal ear 8 ➥
        
        osseous labyrinth 8 ➥
        
        cochlea 8 ➥
        
        spiral organ of Corti
        
        semicircular canal
        
        vestibule
        
        membranous labyrinth
    - olfactory apparatus
    - peripheral nerve
    - ganglion
    - sympathetic chain
- immune system 98 ➥
  - thymus 5 ➥
    - T cell progenitor 1 ➥
  - lymphocytes 3 ➥
  - B cell 5 ➥
  - memory B cell 1 ➥
  - T cell 42 ➥
  - T regulatory cell 1 ➥
  - stromal cell 1 ➥
  - naïve T cell 2 ➥
  - neutrophil 11 ➥
  - macrophage 2 ➥
  - natural killer cell 2 ➥
  - dendritic cell 2 ➥
  - leukocyte 3 ➥

Changes associated with this tissue

Due to the potentially large amount of high-throughput molecular changes these have been excluded below. You can view the full list of 5 changes through the filter results page.

Physiological (5) View on results page

Axon loss Demyelination Leukoaraiosis Mean diffusivity increases and water diffusion anisotropy decreases White matter volume decreases