Tuber cinereum

Structure

The tuber cinereum is a convex mass of grey matter, a ventral/inferior distention of the hypothalamus forming the floor of the third ventricle. The portion of the tuber cinereum at the base of the infundibulum (pituitary stalk) is the median eminence;**** the infundibulum extends ventrally/inferiorly from the median eminence to become continuous with the infundibulum.

The arcuate nucleus is a part of the tuber cinereum. The lateral portions of tuber cinereum lodge the lateral tuberal nucleus, and tuberomammillary nucleus. The basolateral aspect of the tuber cinereum often presents slight elevations produced by the underlying lateral tuberal nucleus - the lateral eminence.

Relations

The tuber cinereum is situated caudal to the optic chiasm, medial to the optic tract (which flanks it on either side), and rostral to the two mammillary bodies. is continuous anteriorly with the lamina terminalis, and laterally with the anterior perforated substances.

Blood supply

Arterial blood supply to the tuber cinereum is provided by the anterior choroidal artery.

Microanatomy

Capillaries of the tuber cinereum are specialized and confluent to enable rapid communication via brain- or blood-borne factors between compartments of the tuber, a capillary system described as the hypophyseal portal system. The subregion of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus closest to the median eminence contains specialized permeable capillaries surrounded by wide pericapillary spaces, enabling moment-to-moment sensing of circulating blood.

Additional images

File:Gray715.png|Mesal aspect of a brain sectioned in the median sagittal plane. File:Gray748.png|The fornix and corpus callosum from below.

References

References

1. (1992). "The Human Hypothalamus in Health and Disease, Proceedings of the 17th International Summer School of Brain Research, held at the Auditorium of the University of Amsterdam". Elsevier.
2. Sinnatamby, Chummy S.. (2011). "Last's Anatomy". Elsevier Australia.
3. Standring, Susan. (2020). "Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice".
4. "tuber cinereum".
5. (March 1992). "Morphology and function of capillary networks in subregions of the rat tuber cinereum". Cell and Tissue Research.