Pontine flexure

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [1] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.

Overview

The pontine flexure is a bend in the axis of the embryological central nervous system (the neuraxis). This flexure marks the junction between the metencephalon and the myelencephalon. The division of the rhombencephalon (the early hindbrain) into the metencephalon and the myelencephalon occurs at the 7th week of development. In the mature brain, the metencephalon forms the pons and cerebellum, whilst the myelencephalon forms the medulla oblongata.[1]

Other Flexures

The cephalic flexure (also known as the midbrain flexure) bends the neuraxis at the junction of the midbrain and hindbrain. This flexure develops by the 5th week of gestation.

The cervical flexure bends the neuraxis between the brain and the spinal cord. It also develops by the 5th week of gestation.

See Also

References

  1. Neuroanatomy: An Illustrated Color Text. 3rd Edition. Crossman & Neary. Published by Elsevier.

Template:WH Template:WS