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General somatic efferent fibers
	Scheme showing structure of a typical spinal nerve.; 1. Somatic efferent.; 2. Somatic afferent.; 3,4,5. Sympathetic efferent.; 6,7. Sympathetic afferent.
Gray's	subject #190 849

The somatic efferent neurons (GSE, 'somatomotor, or somatic motor fibers), arise from motor neuron cell bodies in the ventral horns of the gray matter within the spinal cord. They exit the spinal cord through the ventral roots, carrying motor impulses to skeletal muscle.

Of the somatic efferent neurons, there exist subtypes.

Alpha motor neurons (α) target extrafusal muscle fibers.
Gamma motor neurons (γ) target intrafusal muscle fibres.

Examples of nerves that contain GSE fibers include the oculomotor nerve, the trochlear nerve, the abducens nerve, and the hypoglossal nerve. ^[1]

[edit] See also

Efferent nerve

[edit] References

^ Mehta, Samir et al. Step-Up: A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1. Baltimore, MD: LWW, 2003.

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

[edit] References

^ Mehta, Samir et al. Step-Up: A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1. Baltimore, MD: LWW, 2003.

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[0] Mehta, Samir et al. Step-Up: A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1. Baltimore, MD: LWW, 2003.

[0] Mehta, Samir et al. Step-Up: A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1. Baltimore, MD: LWW, 2003.

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