Grey matter (or gray matter) is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells (astroglia and oligodendrocytes) and capillaries. Grey matter contains neural cell bodies, in contrast to white matter, which does not and mostly contains myelinated axon tracts. The color difference arises mainly from the whiteness of myelin. In living tissue, grey matter actually has a grey-brown color, which comes from capillary blood vessels and neuronal cell bodies.
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“Thought would destroy their paradise.”
—Thomas Gray (1716–1771)
“Kirsten: So you’re the new public relations man.
Joe: Yeah.
Kirsten: What happened to Eddie?
Joe: Eddie quit.
Kirsten: I liked him. Why’d he quit?
Joe: Well, a little matter of personal integrity. Eddie didn’t feel that getting dates for potentates was part of public relations.
Kirsten: But isn’t it?
Joe: Well, there’s a name for it but it’s not “public relations.””
—J.P. (James Pinckney)