RACK 7 LOWER LIMB

Vasculature

The spleen is a highly vascular organ. It receives most of its arterial supply from the splenic artery. This vessel arises from the coeliac trunk, running laterally along the superior aspect of the pancreas, within the splenorenal ligament. As the artery reaches the spleen, it branches into five vessels – each supplying a different part of the organ.

Structure

The spleen has a slightly oval shape. It is covered by a weak capsule that protects the organ whilst allowing it to expand in size.

The outer surface of the spleen can be anatomically divided into two:

The spleen is an organ located in the upper left abdomen, and is roughly the size of a clenched fist. In the adult, the spleen functions mainly as a blood filter, removing old red blood cells. It also plays a role in both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses.

In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the spleen – its anatomical position, structure and vasculature.

By TeachMeSeries Ltd (2023)

The gluteal region is an anatomical area located posteriorly to the pelvic girdle, at the proximal end of the femur. The muscles in this region move the lower limb at the hip joint.

The muscles of the gluteal region can be broadly divided into two groups:

What are blood vessels?

Blood vessels are channels that carry blood throughout your body. They form a closed loop, like a circuit, that begins and ends at your heart. Together, the heart vessels and blood vessels form your circulatory system. Your body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels.

There are three types of blood vessels:

The kidneys are bilateral organs placed retroperitoneally in the upper left and right abdominal quadrants and are part of the urinary system. Their shape resembles a bean, where we can describe the superior and inferior poles, as well as the major convexity pointed laterally, and the minor concavity pointed medially.

The main function of the kidney is to eliminate excess bodily fluid, salts and byproducts of metabolism – this makes kidneys key in the regulation of acid-base balance, blood pressure, and many other homeostatic parameters.

Key facts about the kidney

The testes and epididymis are paired structures, located within the scrotum. The testes are the site of sperm production and hormone synthesis, while the epididymis has a role in the storage of sperm.

In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the testes and epididymis – their structure, vasculature, innervation and clinical correlations.

The spinal cord is a tubular bundle of nervous tissue and supporting cells that extends from the brainstem to the lumbar vertebrae. Together, the spinal cord and the brain form the central nervous system.

In this article, we shall examine the macroscopic anatomy of the spinal cord – its structure, membranous coverings and blood supply.

For information regarding the internal structure of the spinal cord, see the grey matter of the spinal cord.

Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins including collagen that occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases. Advanced liver fibrosis results in cirrhosis, liver failure, and portal hypertension and often requires liver transplantation. Our knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis has greatly advanced. Activated hepatic stellate cells, portal fibroblasts, and myofibroblasts of bone marrow origin have been identified as major collagen-producing cells in the injured liver.

The liver is a peritoneal organ positioned in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. It is the largest visceral structure in the abdominal cavity, and the largest gland in the human body.

An accessory digestion gland, the liver performs a wide range of functions, such as synthesis of bile, glycogen storage and clotting factor production.

In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the liver – its position, structure, and neurovascular supply.