The blood supply to the abdominal organs of the fetal guinea-pig. 1984

A M Carter

Guinea-pigs near term of pregnancy were anaesthetized with diazepam and sodium pentobarbitone. A fetus was exposed and the vitelline artery catheterized to measure blood pressure and heart rate or to render a reference sample of blood for the determination of organ blood flow by the microsphere technique. The radioactive microspheres were injected through a catheter in the right atrium. Mean arterial blood pressure was 4.0 kPa and heart rate was 261 beats min-1. The liver, spleen, pancreas and gut receive most of their blood supply from the same trunk as the vitelline artery. The sample from this vessel was also used to calculate blood flow to the adrenal glands, kidneys, urogenital tract, and placenta, assuming even mixing of microspheres and blood in the abdominal aorta. Umbilical blood flow, corrected to a fetal weight of 100 g, averaged 7.5 ml min-1. The adrenal glands, which are known to increase their cortisol secretion near term, had a very high rate of perfusion. If the microspheres were injected in the umbilical vein, almost all were trapped in the liver, confirming the absence of a ductus venosus in the guinea-pig fetus. Most of these microspheres were found in the quadrate lobe of the liver. Hepatic arterial blood flow was also unequally distributed, with more than two-thirds going to the right lobe of the liver. Although the distribution of portal venous blood flow is not known, it is evident that different areas of the liver are presented with blood of greatly varying oxygen saturation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008102 Liver Circulation The circulation of BLOOD through the LIVER. Hepatic Circulation,Circulation, Liver,Circulation, Hepatic
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
D001794 Blood Pressure PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS. Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D006168 Guinea Pigs A common name used for the genus Cavia. The most common species is Cavia porcellus which is the domesticated guinea pig used for pets and biomedical research. Cavia,Cavia porcellus,Guinea Pig,Pig, Guinea,Pigs, Guinea
D006339 Heart Rate The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute. Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D000005 Abdomen That portion of the body that lies between the THORAX and the PELVIS. Abdomens
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
D014471 Umbilical Veins Venous vessels in the umbilical cord. They carry oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood from the mother to the FETUS via the PLACENTA. In humans, there is normally one umbilical vein. Umbilical Vein,Vein, Umbilical,Veins, Umbilical

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