What is the significance of the cauda equina? it is slender strand of fibrous tissue that extends from the inferior tip of the conus medullaris to the second sacral vertebra. it provides longitudinal support to the spinal cord as a component of the coccygeal ligament. it is made up of extensions of the posterior and anterior roots of spinal segments l2 to s5. it forms as the vertebral column continues to elongate after growth of the spinal cord ceases at about age 4. it is the shallow longitudinal groove on the posterior surface of the spinal cord. it contains the axons of motor neurons that extend into the periphery to control somatic and visceral effectors. it contains the cell bodies of sensory neurons whose axons carry information to the spinal cord?