Neural crest cells (NCCs) originating in the anterior part of the developing embryo and residing between the mid-diencephalon and the forming hindbrain; cranial NCCs migrate dorsolaterally to form the craniofacial mesenchyme that differentiates into various craniofacial cartilages and bones, cranial neurons, glia, and connective tissues of the face; these cells enter the pharyngeal pouches and arches where they give rise to thymic cells, bones of the middle ear and jaw (mandible), and the odontoblasts of the tooth primordia; like their counterparts in the trunk, cranial NCCs also contribute to the developing peripheral nervous system, along with the pigmented cell (i.e. melanocyte) lineage.

Neural crest that is part of the head.[TAO], Anterior most portion of the neural crest. Migrates in three highly conserved streams: mandibular, hyoid and branchial.[AAO]

CNC, cranial NCC population, cephalic neural crest, head NCC population

uberon

crista neuralis cranialis, head neural crest, head crest

We conclude this section by listing some of the many synapomorphies of craniates, including (1) the neural crest (...).[well established][VHOG]

UBERON:0003099

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/uberon.owl, http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/cl.owl

• mesenchyme derived from head neural crest