Renshaw cell
Renshaw cells are located in the spinal cord horn.
They are inhibitory interneurons found in the spinal grey, and associated in two ways with an alpha motor neuron. Firstly, they receive an excitatory collateral from the alpha neuron's axon as they emerge from the motor root, so that they are "kept informed" of how vigorously that neuron is firing. Secondly, they send their own inhibitory axon to synapse with that alpha neuron. The rate of discharge of the Renshaw cell is thus broadly proportional to the rate of discharge of the associated motor neuron, and the rate of discharge of the motor neuron is broadly inversely proportional to the rate of discharge of the Renshaw cell. Renshaw cells thus act as "limiters", or "governors", on the alpha motor neuron system, thus helping to prevent muscular damage from tetanus. .