Neural crest cells that migrate from the rhombencephalon to populate pharyngeal arch 1 give rise to all of the following EXCEPT:
- A Meckel's cartilage
- B Malleus and incus
- C Tensor tympani muscle ✓
- D Stapes
Correct answer: C. Tensor tympani muscle
Explanation
Pharyngeal arch 1 (mandibular arch) neural crest cells contribute Meckel's cartilage (templates for mandible), the malleus and incus (from the dorsal end of Meckel's cartilage). The stapes arises from pharyngeal arch 2 (Reichert's cartilage). Tensor tympani is the muscle of arch 1, but it is mesodermal in origin (paraxial mesoderm), not from neural crest cells — the neural crest gives cartilage, bone, and connective tissue derivatives, not muscle.
Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.