MORPHOMETRY OF THE HUMAN SPLENIC ARTERY - MUSCULAR COLUMNS, MORPHOFUNCTIONAL ASPECTS AND DEVELOPMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

There is a paucity of studies in the literature concerning the structu ral characteristics of the arterial wall in the abdominal region using human material and specialized morphometric techniques. In the presen t study we carry out the morphometric study, describing a series of st ructural peculiarities in 12 segments of the human splenic artery. Amo ng these the presence of length-wise or spiral-shaped muscular columns in the medial layer which mark and reduce the diameter of the arteria l lumen is of major importance. In its underlying intima small localiz ed thickenings appear which, with age may become generalized. We also analyze the different intimal thickenings and such indices as the Inti mal 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 t he possible pathogenesis of the thickenings, and to clarify the import ant morphological-functional correlation for the regulation of blood f low which exists in this arterial region.