ON VASCULARISATION OF LAMINA TERMINALIS IN HUMAN

The human supra-optic crest like that of numerous classes of vertebrates, has a highly differentiated vascular system. From the arterial supply usually consisting of four pedicles, a superficial capillary network covers the pia-mater or anterior side of the supra-optic crest. The blood in this superficial network is drained into a deep network made up of sinusoidal capillaries in loops or whirls, situated in the upper part of the organ, whereas in the lower part a vast plexus is to be found. The blood from the deep network then flows into veins which also drain other hypothalamic regions and then flow into the anterior cerebral veinous system. The appearance of the vessels of the supra-optic crest and their special arrangement seems to indicate that they play a part in the as yet unknown function of the vascular organ of the supra-optic crest. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.