Anatomy and Cell Biology

Korean Association of Anatomists (대한해부학회)
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A marginal branch of the left hepatic artery running along the umbilical vein and supplying the anterior surface of the liver left lobe: a report of 5 cases in 12 Japanese human fetuses

  • Ji Hyun Kim (Department of Anatomy, Jeonbuk National University Medical School) ;
  • Shogo Hayashi (Department of Anatomy, Division of Basic Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine) ;
  • Gen Murakami (Division of Internal Medicine, Cupid Clinic) ;
  • Jose Francisco Rodriguez-Vazquez (Department of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Medicine, Complutense University) ;
  • Hiroshi Abe (Department of Anatomy, Akita University School of Medicine)
  • Received : 2023.04.03
  • Accepted : 2023.07.17
  • Published : 2023.12.31
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Abstract

In human fetuses, the left hepatic artery (LHA) issues the marginal artery that runs along the umbilical vein and, sometimes, reaches the umbilicus. The further observation demonstrated that, in 5 of 12 Japanese midterm fetuses (crown-rump length mm: 46, 50, 54, 59, 102), the marginal artery issued not only a thin umbilical branch but also a liver parenchymal branch that took a posterosuperior recurrent course in a peritoneal fold and supplied the anterior surface of the liver left lobe (segment III). However, in 22 Spanish fetuses of which gestational ages corresponded to the Japanese ones, we did not find the parenchymal branch. Therefore, between human populations, there seemed to be a considerable difference in the incidence as to whether or not the marginal artery issues the liver parenchymal branch. The parenchymal branch might be degenerated at the later stages due to friction between the liver free surface and growing diaphragm.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (JSPS KAKENHI No. 16K08435; to Hiroshi Abe) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan.

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