The ventral horn houses nuclei of the somatic nervous system. It contains the following motor nuclei:

Lateral motor group (ventrolateral, dorsolateral and retrodorsolateral nuclei) - motor neurons that are situated in the lateral aspect of the anterior horn; found only within the cervical and lumbar segments; they contain neuronal cell bodies that provide motor innervation to the distal muscles of the lower and upper limbs;
Medial motor group (ventromedial and dorsomedial nuclei) - motor neurons that are located in the medial aspect of the anterior horn throughout all spinal cord segments; they give rise to nerve fibers that innervate trunk (axial) musculature and muscles of the girdles (proximal muscles of the limbs);
Phrenic nucleus (phrenic nerve nucleus) - located in the central part of the anterior horn only in four or three cervical segments (C2 / C3 - C5); contains neurons that innervate the diaphragm;
Accessory nucleus (nucleus of spinal roots of the accessory nerve) - located in the base of the ventral horn only within the first five cervical segments (C1 - C5) of the spinal cord; it contains neuronal cell bodies that give rise to nerve fibers supplying the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles.

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Nuclei of ventral horn