Rathke's pouch

The after the anatomist Martin Rathke (1793-1860) called Rathke's pouch is a protrusion of the pharyngeal roof, from which develops in the fetus of the anterior pituitary. This is therefore not a brain 's own tissue, but how the CNS ectodermal origin.

This evagination of the stomodeum is pinched off in the further development and loses the connection to the oral cavity. The cavity of this bay forms the so-called Hypophysenbläschen. In some mammals (eg predators, ruminants) remains as Hypophysenhöhle this cavity ( cavum hypophysis ) also exist in the adult.

In humans and horses, this cavity normally regresses completely. However, it is rare to find derived cysts between pars distalis and pars intermedia of the pituitary gland, which are accordingly called Rathke 's cyst. Craniopharyngioma is an outgoing of the Rathke's pouch, benign tumor.