Morphometry of the human splenic artery: muscular columns, morphofunctional aspects and developmental implications

Abstract

There is a paucity of studies in the literature concerning the structural characteristics of the arterial wall in the abdominal region using human material and specialized morphometric techniques. In the present study we carry out the morphometric study, describing a series of structural peculiarities in 12 segments of the human splenic artery. Among these the presence of length-wise or spiral-shaped muscular columns in the medial layer which mark and reduce the diameter of the arterial lumen is of major importance. In its underlying intima small localized thickenings appear which, with age may become generalized. We also analyze the different intimal thickenings and such indices as the Intimal Thickening Index, Lumen Reduction Index and Pathologic Thickening Index, with differences among the groups we have considered. The study of elastin in the various parietal structures help us to understand the possible pathogenesis of the thickenings, and to clarify the important morphological-functional correlation for the regulation of blood flow which exists in this arterial region.