<P> Grey matter ( or gray matter ) is a major component of the central nervous system , consisting of neuronal cell bodies , neuropil ( dendrites and myelinated as well as unmyelinated axons ) , glial cells ( astroglia and oligodendrocytes ) , synapses , and capillaries . Grey matter is distinguished from white matter , in that it contains numerous cell bodies and relatively few myelinated axons , while white matter contains relatively few cell bodies and is composed chiefly of long - range myelinated axon tracts . The colour difference arises mainly from the whiteness of myelin . In living tissue , grey matter actually has a very light grey colour with yellowish or pinkish hues , which come from capillary blood vessels and neuronal cell bodies . </P>
<P> Grey matter ( or gray matter ) is a major component of the central nervous system , consisting of neuronal cell bodies , neuropil ( dendrites and myelinated as well as unmyelinated axons ) , glial cells ( astroglia and oligodendrocytes ) , synapses , and capillaries . Grey matter is distinguished from white matter , in that it contains numerous cell bodies and relatively few myelinated axons , while white matter contains relatively few cell bodies and is composed chiefly of long - range myelinated axon tracts . The colour difference arises mainly from the whiteness of myelin . In living tissue , grey matter actually has a very light grey colour with yellowish or pinkish hues , which come from capillary blood vessels and neuronal cell bodies . </P>
gray matter of the spinal cord is mostly composed of
gray matter of the spinal cord is mostly composed of
neuronal cell bodies
neuronal cell bodies