ectomesenchyme

{{Short description|Type of embryonic tissue}}

{{Infobox embryology

| Name = Ectomesenchyme

| Latin = ectomesenchyma; mesenchyma cristae neuralis

| Image =

| Caption =

| Image2 =

| Caption2 =

}}

Ectomesenchyme has properties similar to mesenchyme. The origin of the ectomesenchyme is disputed. It is either like the mesenchyme, arising from mesodermic cells, or conversely arising from neural crest cells.{{cite journal |vauthors=Weston JA, Yoshida H, Robinson V, Nishikawa S, Fraser ST, Nishikawa S |title=Neural crest and the origin of ectomesenchyme: neural fold heterogeneity suggests an alternative hypothesis |journal=Dev. Dyn. |volume=229 |issue=1 |pages=118–30 |year=2004 |pmid=14699583 |doi=10.1002/dvdy.10478|s2cid=12781111 |doi-access=free }} The neural crest is a critical group of cells that form in the cranial region during early vertebrate development. Ectomesenchyme plays a critical role in the formation of the hard and soft tissues of the head and neck, such as bones, muscles, teeth, and notably, the pharyngeal arches.