title: Studies on human coronary arteries. I. Branch pads or cushions.
abstract: The chronology of branch pad development in fetal coronary arteries, their topographic and structural particularities as well as some observations on their evolution in succeeding age-groups are presented. A peculiar emphasis is given to the microarchitecture and functional significance of longitudinal muscle columns as a prevalent structural component of branch pads.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D002648:Child; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology