title: The primo vascular system as a new anatomical system.
abstract: Traditional Eastern medicine has had a successful existence for a long time and has provided functional paths for curing disease. However, some scientists do not accept acupuncture, primarily because the meridian system lacks a physical anatomical basis. To date, scientific theories have not been able to explain the functional paths used by traditional Eastern medicine to cure disease. According to Western medicine, no known anatomical foundation exists for the meridians and unknown nervous, circulatory, endocrine, and immune mechanisms mediate the effects of acupuncture. In the early 1960s, only one hypothesis was proposed to explain the anatomical basis of the meridians. By using different experimental approaches during the past 10 years, the number of scientific papers that report the discovery of different anatomical and physiological evidence confirming the existence of an anatomical basis for the meridian system has increased. Morphological science is greatly challenged to offer a new biomedical theory that explains the possible existence of new bodily systems such as the primo vascular system (PVS). The PVS is a previously unknown system that integrates the features of the cardiovascular, nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. It also provides a physical substrate for the acupuncture points and meridians. Announcements of the morphological architectonics and the function of the PVS fundamentally changed the basic understanding of biology and medicine because the PVS is involved in the development and the functions of living organisms. We propose a new vision of the anatomical basis for the PVS and the vital energy-called "Qi"-as an electromagnetic wave that is involved very closely with the DNA in the PVS. DNA provides genetic information and it functions as a store of information that can be obtained from the electromagnetic fields of the environment. The PVS is the communication system between living organisms and the environment, and it lies at the lowest level of life. The theory of the PVS could be a good basis for forming a new point of view of Darwin's evolutionary theory. Discoveries in morphological theory-such as discoveries with respect to the PVS-have not been made since the 18th century. For that reason, the PVS needs more attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Morphology, Physiology and Nutrition, Agricultural Faculty, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria; Nano Primo Research Center, Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Suwon, South Korea. Electronic address: stefanat@af.uni-sz.bg.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanov
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potroz
authors.forename: Jungdae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jake
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D026881:Acupuncture / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000715:Anatomy; D006801:Humans; D016740:Meridians
keywords: circulatory system; evolution; new morphological functional theory; primo vascular system