Three-dimensional organization of the hepatic artery terminal branches: a scanning electron microscopic study of vascular corrosion casts of rat liver. 2007

Luigi Pannarale, and Paolo Onori, and Federica Borghese, and Davide Conte, and Eugenio Gaudio
Department of Human Anatomy, State University "La Sapienza" of Rome.

The hepatic artery plays an important role in the nourishment of liver parenchyma. The arterial distribution generates debate on where the artery terminates in the liver although is accepted that terminal branching of hepatic artery opened into sinusoids and form arterio-portal anastomosis. This implies that sinusoids are fed by both arterial and portal vessels characterized by different pressures. The presence of a double feeding to the sinusoids from the vena porta, at a pressure of 6-7 cm H2O, and from the hepatic artery, at a pressure of 12-25 cm H2O, has generated many studies for the need to explain the prevalence of flow from the vena porta. For this reason, we have studied the terminal hepatic artery branches in the rat by using special microvascular corrosion casting procedure which makes possible to better follow the hepatic artery terminal branches. Twelve young sexually mature male and female Wistar rats were used in this study. More than one hundred vascular corrosion casts of terminal hepatic arterioles were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Histological samples were prepared using standard techniques for light microscopy. The experimental approach allow to easily follow the three-dimensional course of hepatic artery branches which is extremely difficult in standard injections. In all our observations of the rat liver vascular corrosion casts, terminal hepatic artery branches do not end directly in the sinusoidal beds. Terminal hepatic artery branches end into peribiliary plexus, periportal plexus and single capillaries of the portal space. We have not found any arterio-venous shunt nor any arterial vessel flowing into a venous vessel or a sinusoid. This means that only venous blood at a lowered pressure reaches the vena porta branches and the sinusoids.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008297 Male Males
D008855 Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Microscopy in which the object is examined directly by an electron beam scanning the specimen point-by-point. The image is constructed by detecting the products of specimen interactions that are projected above the plane of the sample, such as backscattered electrons. Although SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY also scans the specimen point by point with the electron beam, the image is constructed by detecting the electrons, or their interaction products that are transmitted through the sample plane, so that is a form of TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. Scanning Electron Microscopy,Electron Scanning Microscopy,Electron Microscopies, Scanning,Electron Microscopy, Scanning,Electron Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Electron Scanning,Microscopies, Scanning Electron,Microscopy, Electron Scanning,Microscopy, Scanning Electron,Scanning Electron Microscopies,Scanning Microscopies, Electron,Scanning Microscopy, Electron
D011169 Portal Vein A short thick vein formed by union of the superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein. Portal Veins,Vein, Portal,Veins, Portal
D012039 Regional Blood Flow The flow of BLOOD through or around an organ or region of the body. Blood Flow, Regional,Blood Flows, Regional,Flow, Regional Blood,Flows, Regional Blood,Regional Blood Flows
D002196 Capillaries The minute vessels that connect arterioles and venules. Capillary Beds,Sinusoidal Beds,Sinusoids,Bed, Sinusoidal,Beds, Sinusoidal,Capillary,Capillary Bed,Sinusoid,Sinusoidal Bed
D005260 Female Females
D006499 Hepatic Artery A branch of the celiac artery that distributes to the stomach, pancreas, duodenum, liver, gallbladder, and greater omentum. Arteries, Hepatic,Artery, Hepatic,Hepatic Arteries
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001160 Arterioles The smallest divisions of the arteries located between the muscular arteries and the capillaries. Arteriole

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