We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Neural Tube?

By Greg Caramenico
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 14,885
Share

The neural tube is a structure of the embryo of vertebrates that develops into the brain and spinal cord. It forms from the genetically guided enclosure of a plate of tissues inside of the embryo. These subdivide into sections at different places in the tube that correspond to the location of the brain regions that they will become. The peripheral nervous system develops outside of the neural tube through the migration of neural crest cells. Incomplete closure of the tube in either the brain or spinal column results in serious birth defects.

Neural tube formation takes different lengths of time, depending on the organism. In humans, it commences three to four weeks after conception. Early in development, the neural groove arises from a plate of tissue and deepens as it folds over a central axis. The genes that guide this process, called hox genes, are a subset of the system organizing the embryo into structural divisions. Along with the Cdx family of proteins moderating their action, the hox genes are critical in directing neural cells to their appropriate locations in the embryo.

Development of the neural tube is called neurulation. Primary neurulation occurs as soon as the neural plate forms, causing the plate's edges to fold up and enclose the center of the plate. Motor/neuromuscular control centers derive from tissues in the ventral portion of the tube, a region associated with the basal plate. Somatosensory functions, including perception and other forms of sensation, are conversely affiliated with the alar plate in the tube's dorsal section. Secondary neurulation occurs when the cells along the neural plate form a hollow space inside of it, completing the tube.

Fluid-induced bulging divides the neural tube into four sections, the first three of which become the brain while the last forms the spinal cord. Hox genes guide the division of the nervous system's different regions, as the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain develop respectively from the tube's rhomebencephalon, mesencephalon, and prosencephalon. New neurons form throughout this process, as a tissue called the neural crest separates from the tube and migrates throughout the embryo. Neural crest cells eventually become the nerves of the peripheral nervous system.

Spina bifida is a common neural tube defect occurring early in pregnancy during the brief time the tube is open, and resulting in incomplete closure of the fetal spinal column. The vertebrae that surround the spinal cord fail to fully surround it, so the cord, and sometimes a fluid-filled membrane, protrude out of the column. When the upper part of the neural tube does not close, a condition called anencephaly results in a partially exposed and deformed brain. Folic acid supplements before conception reduce the risk of defects like spina bifida.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-the-neural-tube.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.