Dura mater

The dura mater, (or just dura) is the outermost of the three <a href="/facts/Meninges/IcxhShYH">meningeal membranes</a>. The dura mater has two layers, an outer <a href="/facts/Periosteum/vRlYlFgQ">periosteal layer</a> closely adhered to the <a href="/facts/Neurocranium/dzqkVdLQ">neurocranium</a>, and an inner meningeal layer known as the dural border cell layer. The two dural layers are for the most part fused together forming a <a href="/facts/Dense_irregular_connective_tissue/fd2DpfGo">thick fibrous tissue</a> membrane that covers the brain and the <a href="/facts/Vertebra/qAdLhD5H">vertebrae</a> of the <a href="/facts/Spinal_column/Nuw1kV7o">spinal column</a>. But the layers are separated at the <a href="/facts/Dural_venous_sinuses/YpSL9DxR">dural venous sinuses</a> to allow blood to drain from the brain. The dura covers the <a href="/facts/Arachnoid_mater/fmWI3KT0">arachnoid mater</a> and the <a href="/facts/Pia_mater/8Kt6sdD1">pia mater</a> the other two meninges in protecting the <a href="/facts/Central_nervous_system/k8I6To97">central nervous system</a>.
At major boundaries of brain regions such as the <a href="/facts/Longitudinal_fissure/oBq68We2">longitudinal fissure</a> between the <a href="/facts/Cerebral_hemisphere/H81aw2Qy">hemispheres</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Tentorium_cerebelli/xb4xhk3u">tentorium cerebelli</a> between the posterior brain and the cerebellum the dura separates, folds and invaginates to make the divisions. These folds are known as dural folds, or reflections.
The dura mater is primarily derived from <a href="/facts/Neural_crest_cells/SgvAz0Ww">neural crest cells</a>, with postnatal contributions from the <a href="/facts/Paraxial_mesoderm/gXx8az3q">paraxial mesoderm</a>.

Dura mater open-in-new

Dura mater