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Pons
/ˈpɒnz/ is part of the brainstem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus.
The pons sits on the clivus.
It is also called the pons Varolii (“bridge of Varoli”), after the Italian anatomist and surgeon Costanzo Varolio (1543–75).
It is cranial to the medulla oblongata, caudal to the midbrain, and ventral to the cerebellum. In humans and other bipeds, this means it is above the medulla, below the midbrain, and anterior to the cerebellum. This white matter includes tracts that conduct signals from the cerebrum down to the cerebellum and medulla, and tracts that carry the sensory signals up into the thalamus.
The pons is responsible for transmitting signals between different parts of the brain, as well as facilitating important bodily functions such as breathing, swallowing, and facial movements. Gliomas are a type of brain tumor that originates from glial cells, which are supportive cells that surround and protect nerve cells in the brain.