Anatomical aspects of the celiac artery in lamb

Abstract

Among different species there are comparable structural characteristics in tissues and organs, but they also have different particularities responsible for certain functions. The components of the cardiovascular system should correspond to the solicitations given by the pressure and blood flow in a particular segment. If the solicitations exceed a particular threshold, the functional adaptation requires supporting morphological changes. The development of the circulatory system in lambs is correlated with the development of the digestive system, the type of nutrition and the characteristics of this species as ruminants. To capture the adaptive changes we resorted to anatomical investigations. The aim of this research was to identify and describe the particularities of the celiac artery in lambs. The study included 15 hybrid Merino lambs, 4-6 months old, sacrificed by the breeder. After removing the skin, the abdominal aorta was identified through stratigraphic dissection. Further on, latex and red coloring substance were injected. This facilitated the following stratigraphic dissection which worked towards the identification of the celiac artery with its collaterals and terminals. We identified that the celiac artery has its origin on the ventral wall of the abdominal in 3 terminal branches: the splenic artery, the hepatic artery and the left gastric artery. All terminal arteries give collaterals to the forestomach. On its trajectory the celiac artery gives only one collateral branch, the caudal phrenic artery. In conclusion, through the collaterals of aorta, near the diaphragm. From the origin, it has a ventro-caudal direction and after 2 cm it separates its terminal branches, the celiac artery is the main blood supplier to the forestomach. Furthermore, the collateral arteries present specific particularities due to the yet incomplete growth of young individuals that were taken into study.