Question #202
Which of the following is not a feature of the cranial dura mater?
The dura mater is the outer layer of the meninges. In the cranium it can be considered to have two separate layers: the outer endosteal and inner meningeal layers. These separate at certain points to form sinuses that drain venous blood. In addition the dura also forms infoldings that separate the cerebellum from the cerebrum and the two cerebral hemispheres.
It is a tough, fibrous protective layer that is derived from neural crest cells in the embryo. Closely associated with the meningeal layer is the arachnoid mater. Due to their close association a tear in the dura is usually also associated with damage to the arachnoid mater and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid.
