Central Nervous System

In this trichrome stained slide, the thick collagenous dura mater appears blue. The dura mater closely follows the contours of the cerebral hemispheres. This section is taken from between the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The dura mater folds down between the hemispheres, forming a two-ply divider: the falx cerebri. Above the falx cerebri, the dura forms a venous sinus, the superior sagittal sinus which is lined with endothelium and eventually empties into the internal jugular vein. Identify the arachnoid mater, which contains both blood vessels and CSF. Note the enlarged subdural space which separates the dura and arachnoid mater. UCLA Histology Collection.