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The Ventricles

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The ventricles are cavities throughout the brain that produce and distribute cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless fluid that suspends the brain and protects it from strain. Check out this blog post to learn more about cerebrospinal fluid.

The ventricles are lined with the choroid plexus, a membrane made of ependymal cells (a glial cell) that secrete CSF.

There are four ventricles in the human brain. There are two C-shaped lateral ventricles; one in each of the hemispheres. The lateral ventricles connect to the third ventricle via an opening known as the interventricular foramen. The third ventricle, which resembles a misshapen donut, is located along the midline of the diencephalon. It connects to the fourth ventricle via the cerebral aqueduct. The fourth ventricle is located between the cerebellum and brainstem. It has three openings that allow the CSF to enter the subarachnoid space (remember the meninges). Therefore, the CSF leaves the ventricles through the fourth ventricle.

Image result for ventricles
                                                                                                                    ________
 Image Credit: 
(1) Blaus, Bruce. “Ventricles of the Brain.” Wikimedia Commons, 30 Sept. 2013, upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Blausen_0896_Ventricles_Brain.png.
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