Rathke's Pouch — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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HardAnatomy (Head & Neck)Rathke's PouchMFDS Part 1

A developmental abnormality selectively destroys Rathke's pouch while sparing the infundibulum and adjacent ventral diencephalon. Which adult structure would consequently fail to develop?

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Correct answer: D — Pars distalis

The correct answer is **A, pars distalis**. Rathke's pouch is the epithelial primordium of the adenohypophysis and forms the pars distalis, pars intermedia and pars tuberalis. Its destruction would therefore prevent development of the pars distalis. The pars nervosa and infundibular stalk arise from the neuroectodermal infundibulum and would be preserved because the stem states that the infundibulum is intact. The median eminence is a specialised region of the hypothalamus, while the supraoptic nucleus develops within the hypothalamic neuroectoderm; neither is derived from Rathke's pouch. The original answer was correct, but the revised item tests the dual embryological origin of the pituitary at an appropriately discriminating level.

Reference: Hojo M et al. Hes1 and Hes5 are required for differentiation of pituicytes and formation of the neurohypophysis in pituitary development. Brain Research. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10479452/