What are the main derivatives of the metencephalon?

What are the main derivatives of the metencephalon?

• A. Medulla oblongata and pons
• B. Spinal cord and brainstem
• C. Pons and cerebellum
• D. Cerebral cortex and hippocampus

Answer: (C)

Metencephalon comes from the embryonic hindbrain and splits into two structures: the pons and the cerebellum. This is why the pons and cerebellum are the correct derivatives. The medulla oblongata comes from the myelencephalon, not the metencephalon. The cerebral cortex and hippocampus are forebrain (telencephalon/diencephalon) derivatives, not hindbrain ones. The spinal cord arises from the neural tube more caudally, not from the metencephalon. So the pair that matches metencephalon derivatives is the pons and cerebellum.

Metencephalon comes from the embryonic hindbrain and splits into two structures: the pons and the cerebellum. This is why the pons and cerebellum are the correct derivatives. The medulla oblongata comes from the myelencephalon, not the metencephalon. The cerebral cortex and hippocampus are forebrain (telencephalon/diencephalon) derivatives, not hindbrain ones. The spinal cord arises from the neural tube more caudally, not from the metencephalon. So the pair that matches metencephalon derivatives is the pons and cerebellum.