The pontine arteries are comprised of tiny blood vessels that are part of the posterior cerebral circulation system. The pontine arteries are responsible for helping the body deliver oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain.
The pontine arteries are located on both sides of the basilar artery. The basilar artery is the central artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the middle section of the brain. The pontine arteries branch off at right angles from the basilar artery.
Each branch of the pontine arteries contains three to five single arteries. There is a right branch and a left branch; both branches supply blood to both sides of the brain equally.
A single pontine artery carries the oxygen-filled blood to the pons, a section of the brain stem that plays a role in controlling many important functions, such as breathing and sleep. The pontine arteries are also responsible for supplying the oxygen-rich blood to the other parts of the brain that are located immediately adjacent to the pons.