The bronchial tree, lobular division and blood vessels of the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) lung.
The lung of the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) consists of the bilateral upper, middle and lower lobes. The right lung has four bronchiole systems, i.e., the dorsal, ventral, medial and lateral, whereas the left lung has the dorsal, ventral and lateral, but not the medial bronchiole system. The upper lobe is formed by the first bronchiole of the dorsal bronchiole system, and the middle lobe by the first bronchiole of the lateral bronchiole system. The remaining bronchioles constitute the lower lobe. The right pulmonary artery runs along the ventrolateral side of the right bronchus, across the ventral side of the right upper lobe bronchiole, then across the dorsal side of the right middle lobe bronchiole, and thereafter runs along the dorsolateral side of the right bronchus. The left pulmonary artery runs a similar course to that of the right. The branches of the pulmonary arteries mostly run along the dorsal or lateral side of the bronchiole. The pulmonary veins run mostly along the medial or ventral side of the bronchiole, and finally enter the left atrium with five veins.
Nakakuki
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Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000033:anatomy & histology*