title: Origin of the v. portae and variability of its tributaries in laboratory animals. III. The laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus var. alba).
abstract: The authors studied the origin of the v. portae and the variability of its tributaries in 30 adult laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus v. alba) after injecting blue-dyed latex into the venous bed. In 21 cases (70.0%) the v. portae was formed from three tributaries. In 18 of these cases (60.0%) they were the v. mesenterica cranialis, v. lienalis and v. pancreaticoduodenalis cranialis. In eight cases the v. portae was formed from four or five tributaries and in only one case was it formed from two--the v. mesenterica cranialis and v. lienalis. In 21 cases (70.0%) the v. gastrica sinistra was a tributary of the v. lienalis. It collected blood from the anterior and posterior surface of the stomach and sometimes originated as far away as the curvatura major ventriculi. A v. cardiaca was present in all 30 cases (100%). As a rule (in 28 cases, i.e. 93.3%), it was a tributary of the v. gastrica sinistra. There was likewise a v. pylorica in every case; most frequently this united with the v. pancreaticoduodenalis cranialis, but was also connected with other veins in the vicinity. A v. pancreaticoduodenalis cranialis was always present. In 22 cases (73.3%) it was an independent tributary of the v. portae. In 11 cases (36.7%), there were no vv. gastroepiploicae or equivalent vessels and blood from the stomach was drained mainly by the v. gastrica sinistra. A v. gastroepiploica dextra was present in 11 cases (36.7%), mostly as a tributary of the v. lienalis; in two cases (6.7%) there was a v. gastroepiploica sinistra and in six cases (20%) the place of these veins was taken by vv. gastricae as tributaries of the v. lienalis. In 21 cases (70.0%) the v. lienalis was joined by the v. gastrica sinistra. In 22 cases (73.3%) inter-organ anastomoses between the spleen, stomach and pancreas were found. A v. pancreaticoduodenalis caudalis was always present and in 20 cases (66.7%) it was an independent tributary of the v. mesenterica cranialis. A comparison of the origin of the v. portae and the organization and variability of its tributaries in the rat, cat and guinea pig shows that, in agreement with their position in the zoological system and their mode of life, there was greater similarity between the rat and the guinea pig as regards practically all the veins examined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malinovský
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Navrátilová
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D051381:Rats / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014781:Viscera / Q000098:blood supply*