Preferred Label : cerebellum;
Uberon definition : Part of the metencephalon that lies in the posterior cranial fossa behind the brain
stem. It is concerned with the coordination of movement[MESH]. A large dorsally projecting
part of the brain concerned especially with the coordination of muscles and the maintenance
of bodily equilibrium, situated between the brain stem and the back of the cerebrum
, and formed in humans of two lateral lobes and a median lobe[BTO]. Brain structure
derived from the anterior hindbrain, and perhaps including posterior midbrain. The
cerebellum plays a role in somatic motor function, the control of muscle tone, and
balance[ZFA].;
Uberon synonym : epencephalon-1;
Uberon broad term : infratentorial region;
Uberon Homology note : However, although the lamprey possesses a region comparable to the cerebellum and
display expression of LjFgf8/17 at the MHB (midbrain hindbrain boundary), it does
not have Purkinje cells and cerebellar nuclei, as well as components of the rhombic
lip-derived cerebellar and pre-cerebellar systems. It is noteworthy that the latter
structures require specific expression of Pax6 in the rhombic lip of the gnathostome
hindbrain. Interestingly, the lamprey rhombic lip does not express Pax6. Thus, it
is tempting to speculate that in vertebrate evolution the rostral hindbrain is incapable
of differentiating into the cerebellum before the co-option of Pax6 in that region.
In other words, cerebellum has been brought about as an evolutionary innovation in
gnathostomes, based on exaptation of MHB, rhombic lip, and some regulatory gene expression
already present in the vertebrate common ancestor.[well established][VHOG];
Uberon Taxon note : The absence of a cerebellum in hagfishes and lampreys appears to be the only exception
[to the rule that vertebrates possess the same number of brain divisions]. Both hagfishes
and lampreys do possess a thin band of cells located medial to the lateral line centers
of the medulla (Ronan and Northcutt, 1998), which has been interpreted as a primitive
cerebellum (Larsell, 1967), but more recent experimental studies (Kishida et al.,
1987; Weigle and Northcutt, 1998) fail to support Larsell's claim[http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/4/743.full];
Origin ID : 0002037;
Automatic exact mappings (from CISMeF team)
- Uberon cross reference
- adjacent to
- contributes to morphology of
- develops from
- has part
- part of
Part of the metencephalon that lies in the posterior cranial fossa behind the brain
stem. It is concerned with the coordination of movement[MESH]. A large dorsally projecting
part of the brain concerned especially with the coordination of muscles and the maintenance
of bodily equilibrium, situated between the brain stem and the back of the cerebrum
, and formed in humans of two lateral lobes and a median lobe[BTO]. Brain structure
derived from the anterior hindbrain, and perhaps including posterior midbrain. The
cerebellum plays a role in somatic motor function, the control of muscle tone, and
balance[ZFA].
