Cranial neural crest

Cranial neural crest
Cranial neural crest
Latin crista neuralis cranialis
Code TE E5.15.1.0.2.0.1

The cranial neural crest is a form of neural crest.[1]

The cranial neural crest arises in the anterior and populates the face and the pharyngeal arches giving rise to bones, cartilage, nerves and connective tissue.[2] The endocranium and facial bones of the skull are ultimately derived from crest cells.

Other Migration Locations:
  • Into the pharyngeal arches and play an inductive role in thymus development.
  • Into the pharyngeal arches and form the parafollicular cell or ultimobranchial bodies of the thyroid gland.
  • Into the pharyngeal arches and play an inductive role in parathyroid gland development.
  • Facial ectomesenchyme of the pharyngeal arches forming skeletal muscle, bone, and cartilage in the face.
  • Odontoblasts (dentin-producing cells) of the teeth.[3]
  • Into the optic vesicle and the developing eye and contributes to many anterior eye elements such the cornea, sclera, and ciliary muscle. It also contributes to the attaching skeletal muscles of the eye.
  • Into the otic placode and participates in the inner ear development.
  • Sensory ganglia of the fifth, seventh, ninth and tenth cranial nerves.
  • Schwann cells[4]

References