Anat Cell Biol.  2023 Dec;56(4):579-583. 10.5115/acb.23.091.

A marginal branch of the left hepatic artery running along the umbilical vein and supplying the anterior surface of the liver left lobe: a report of 5 cases in 12 Japanese human fetuses

• Kim JH
• Hayashi S
• Murakami G
• Rodríguez-Vázquez JF
• Abe H

• KMID: 2548927
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.091

Abstract

In human fetuses, the left hepatic artery (LHA) issues the marginal artery that runs along the umbilical vein and, sometimes, reaches the umbilicus. The further observation demonstrated that, in 5 of 12 Japanese midterm fetuses (crownrump length mm: 46, 50, 54, 59, 102), the marginal artery issued not only a thin umbilical branch but also a liver parenchymal branch that took a posterosuperior recurrent course in a peritoneal fold and supplied the anterior surface of the liver left lobe (segment III). However, in 22 Spanish fetuses of which gestational ages corresponded to the Japanese ones, we did not find the parenchymal branch. Therefore, between human populations, there seemed to be a considerable difference in the incidence as to whether or not the marginal artery issues the liver parenchymal branch. The parenchymal branch might be degenerated at the later stages due to friction between the liver free surface and growing diaphragm.

Keyword

Left hepatic artery; Umbilical vein; Appendix fibrosa hepatis; Coronary ligament; Human fetus

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A marginal artery of the left hepatic artery to issue a parenchymal branch supplying the anterior surface of the liver left lobe. Sagittal sections from a Japanese fetus of 46 mm crown-rump length. Hematoxylin and eosin staining. (A) 0.6 mm left side of the midsagittal plane, shows a plane slightly medial to (B). (D, F) are higher magnification views of squares in (A, B), respectively. (E) displays an intermediate plane between panels (D, F). (C) 0.2 mm medial to (A), exhibits the longitudinal course of the marginal artery of the left hepatic artery (LHA) along the umbilical vein (UV). The LHA divides into the parenchymal branch (artery) and umbilical branch. The parenchymal branch takes a posterosuperior recurrent course beneath the peritoneum and enters the anterior liver surface (D–F). (A, B) or (C–F) were prepared at the same magnification. Scale bars in (A, C)=1 mm. Antrum, gastric antrum; ES, esophagus; IVC, inferior vena cava; PH, pancreatic head; SMA, superior mesenteric artery; TC, transverse colon. Asterisks (C) indicate artificial separation of tissues during the histological procedure.

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  Fig. 2 Another case of the parenchymal arterial branch supplying the anterior surface of the liver left lobe. Sagittal sections from a Japanese fetus of 54 mm crown-rump length. Hematoxylin and eosin staining. (A) displays the topographical anatomy. (B) corresponding to a square in (A), exhibits the parenchymal branch at higher magnification. Scale bars=1 mm. IVC, inferior vena cava; SMA, superior mesenteric artery; TC, transverse colon; UV, umbilical vein.

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  Fig. 3 No parenchymal arterial branch supplying the anterior surface of the liver in a Spanish specimen. Sagittal sections from a Spanish fetus of 51 mm crown-rump length. Hematoxylin and eosin staining. (A) displays the topographical anatomy. (B) corresponding to a square in (A), exhibits the marginal artery along the umbilical vein (UV) at higher magnification. Scale bars=1 mm. TC, transverse colon.

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  Fig. 4 Schematic representation of the marginal artery from the left hepatic artery: an anterolateral view of the liver corresponding to sagittal sections shown in the current study. A2–A8 indicates arteries to segments I-VIII, respectively. The caudate lobe (segments I and IX) is not drawn in the figure because of the posterior location along the inferior vena cava. The marginal artery originates from the left hepatic artery (LHA), runs anteriorly along the umbilical vein (UV) and divides into (1) the umbilical branch to the abdominal wall near the umbilicus and (2) the parenchymal branch to the anterior surface of the segment III. RHA, right hepatic artery.

Reference

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