Pseudounipolar neurons of the spinal ganglion (600X)

The large cell bodies belong to "pseudounipolar" neurons. In fetal life, the spinal ganglion cells are bipolar (two offshoots, one on each side of the cell), but eventually the offshoot parts move together and unite into a common stalk. The cells are then called pseudounipolar nerve cells (pseudo = fake, unipolar = with one pole).

In fetal life, the neural plate gives rise to two neural strips that lie on opposite sides of the neural tube. Neurons and two types of supporting cells, satellite cells and Schwann cells, are differentiated from this neural crest.