Mesencephalic Basal Plate

The lateral wall of the neural tube is subdivided into two columnar domains: the basal and the alar plate. The mesencephalic basal plate is located in the ventral part of the mesecephalon wall (close to the floor plate) and, together with the mesencephalic floor plate, gives rise to the midbrain tegmentum. The midbrain tegmentum contains, among others, the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area (VTA) oculomotor nucleus and the red nucleus.