Common and separate origins of the left and right inferior phrenic artery with a review of the literature.

In a 94-year-old male cadaver, upon which routine dissection was being conducted, a rare variation was found in the gastrophrenic trunk (GPT), the common trunk of the left gastric artery (LGA), right inferior phrenic artery (RIPA), and left inferior phrenic artery (LIPA); the GPT arises from the abdominal aorta. A hepatosplenic trunk accompanied the variation. In this variation, the RIPA first branched from the GPT and then to the LIPA and LGA. Variations in the common trunk of the LIPA and RIPA in the GPT are common, but to our knowledge, a variation (separate inferior phrenic artery in the GPT) similar to our findings has not been previously reported. We discuss the incidence and developmental and clinical significance of this variation with a detailed review of the literature. Knowledge of such a case has important clinical significance for invasive and non-invasive arterial procedures. Therefore, different variations concerning the LGA and inferior phrenic artery should be considered during surgical and non-surgical evaluations.

Innervation of Extrahepatic Biliary Tract, With Special Reference to the Direct Bidirectional Neural Connections of the Gall Bladder, Sphincter of Oddi and Duodenum in Suncus murinus, in Whole-Mount Immunohistochemical Study.

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is one of the most important symptoms in post-cholecystectomy syndrome. Using either electrical or mechanical stimulation and retrogradely transported neuronal dyes, it has been demonstrated that there are direct neural pathways connecting gall bladder and the sphincter of Oddi in the Australian opossum and the golden hamster. In the present study, we employed whole-mount immunohistochemistry staining to observe and verify that there are two different plexuses of the extrahepatic biliary tract in Suncus murinus. One, named Pathway One, showed a fine, irregular but dense network plexus that ran adhesively and resided on/in the extrahepatic biliary tract wall, and the plexus extended into the intrahepatic area. On the other hand, named Pathway Two, exhibiting simple, thicker and straight neural bundles, ran parallel to the surface of the extrahepatic biliary tract and passed between the gall bladder and duodenum, but did not give off any branches to the liver. Pathway Two was considered to involve direct bidirectional neural connections between the duodenum and the biliary tract system. For the first time, morphologically, we demonstrated direct neural connections between gall bladder and duodenum in S. murinus. Malfunction of the sphincter of Oddi may be caused by injury of the direct neural pathways between gall bladder and duodenum by cholecystectomy. From the viewpoint of preserving the function of the major duodenal papilla and common bile duct, we emphasize the importance of avoiding kocherization of the common bile duct so as to preserve the direct neural connections between gall bladder and sphincter of Oddi.

Anomalous connection of the left posterior renal vein with the left ascending lumbar vein in a Japanese cadaver.

A rare variation was found in one of the two left renal veins in a 94-year-old male cadaver undergoing routine dissection. The characteristic findings in the cadaver included, in addition to the primary left renal vein, the presence of a posterior left renal vein draining to the left ascending lumbar vein without communicating with the inferior vena cava and other renal veins. Variations in the number and arrangement of the vessels terminating in the renal veins are common, but to our knowledge, variation similar to our findings has not been previously reported. This variation may represent an immature form of the complicated development of the renal vessels.

Immunolocalization of ghrelin in the stomach of Sprague-Dawley rat.

To investigate the distribution of ghrelin in different regions of stomach in Sprague-Dawley rat, and attempt to compare with those of humans and other mammalian species in this study, the stomach of rats was divided into five sections, cardia, fundus, greater curvature, lesser curvature and pylorus. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were performed to investigate the ghrelin-producing cells. The immunolocalization and protein levels of ghrelin differed significantly in different regions of stomach in rats. It was present at a high level in the greater curvature of the pars glandularis, and the lesser curvature. In the fundus and pylorus, no ghrelin immunoreactive cells were detected. In this study, we elucidated the distribution of ghrelin-producing cells in different regions of rat stomach in detail for the first time. It is further considered that the differences of ghrelin distribution in stomach of different species may induce different stimulatory effects on fat accumulation and metabolism.

Structure of thymic cysts in congenital lymph nodes-lacking mice.

The ALY (aly/aly) mouse, a mutant of the C57BL/6j strain, has a severe immunodeficiency because of immature development of the immune organs. Both lymph nodes and Peyer's patches are lacking and both the thymus and spleen are small. Previous microscopical observation of their thymus glands revealed the presence of an indistinct border between the cortex and medulla, the absence of Hassal's corpuscles and the reduction of the medullary epithelial cell population. However, other microscopical findings for these glands have not yet been reported. In the present study, we performed light and electron microscopical observation of the thymus and found the consistent presence of extremely irregular shaped cystic cavities lined by microvilli-bearing epithelium in the medulla. The cysts comprised ceca and did not open into adjacent capillaries, although they contained some lymphocytes and macrophages in their lumens. In the thymus glands of normal C57BL/6j mice, only some small cysts oval in shape could be inconspicuously found in the medulla. Therefore, the thymic cysts may normally regress during thymic development, however, in ALY mice, the cysts may remain because of the organ immaturity.

An extremely rare inversion of the preduodenal portal vein and common bile duct associated with multiple malformations. Report of an adult cadaver case with a brief review of the literature.

A preduodenal position of the portal vein (PDPV) is a very rare congenital anomaly; even rarer is its association with a preduodenal position of the common bile duct (PDCBD). To the seven cases of PDCBD mentioned in the literature, we add this particularly rare case which is associated with multiple abnormalities such as situs inversus totalis, intestinal malrotation, short pancreas, bilobed spleen, accessory spleen, and abnormal ramification of the celiac axis, superior mesenteric artery and renal arteries. Besides describing and illustrating this case, we also discuss the anatomy and embryology of these structures and briefly review the patterns of previously reported cases that we found. We performed an immunohistochemical examination of the pancreas to demonstrate the ventro-dorsal pancreas in our case. For the explanation of the embryology of the PDCBD, the ventro-dorsal pancreas and PDPV malformation, we emphasized the reverse rotation of the ventral pancreas and duodenum.

An anatomical study of the levator veli palatini and superior constrictor with special reference to their nerve supply.

We dissected 50 head halves of 25 Japanese cadavers (10 males, 15 females) to investigate the innervations of the levator veli palatini (LVP) and superior constrictor pharyngis. The branches supplying the LVP were classified into the following three types according to their origins: supplying branches that originated from the pharyngeal branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (type I, four sides, 8%), branches that originated from a communicating branch between the pharyngeal branches of the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves (type II, 36 sides, 72%), and those that originated from the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (type III, 10 sides, 20%). In previous studies, supplying branches of type I were seldom described. Regarding the innervation of the superior constrictor, some variations were observed, and we consider it likely that there is a close relationship between these variations and the type of innervation of the LVP.