Vessels (Chapter 19)

What do the renal arteries supply?

the kidneys

What does the inferior mesenteric artery supply?

the large intestine

How do the left and right renal arteries differ?

the right is longer and lower

What does the superior mesenteric artery supply?

the small intestine

Trace the arteries from the descending aorta down a leg.

The descending aorta becomes the thoracic aorta. It passes through the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm and becomes the abdominal artery. The first branch off is the celiac trunk, which branches into the hepatic, splenic, and pancreatic arteries. The next branch off is the abdominal aorta is the superior mesenteric artery. The third branch of the abdominal aorta is the renal arteries. Below that is the fourth branch of the abdominal aorta, the gonadal arteries. The last branch is the inferior mesenteric artery. Below that, the abdominal aorta splits into the left and right common iliac arteries. The common iliac artery splits into the internal iliac artery and the external iliac artery. The external iliac artery travels over the hip bone. At the next branching, the main vessel is now the femoral artery. Behind the knee, the vessel becomes the popliteal artery. Below the knee, it splits into the anterior and posterior tibial arteries.

Trace the veins from the heart down the body through a leg.

The inferior vena cava leaves the heart. The first branches are the hepatic veins followed by the renal veins. The inferior vena cava splits into the left and right common iliac veins. The common iliac veins split into the internal and external iliac veins. The external ilia vein continues over the hip bone into the leg. It splits into the three, with the femoral vein down the center of the leg and the great saphenous vein closer to the inside of the leg. The great saphenous vein runs all the way to the foot. The femoral vein becomes the the popliteal vein behind the knee. Below the knee, it splits into the posterior and anterior tibial veins that run down to the foot.

Trace the arteries from the aortic arch down the left arm to the hand.

The leftmost branch of the aortic arch is the left subclavian artery. The left vertebral artery branches off off the subclavian artery. Once it passes under the clavicle, it is the axillary artery. In the arm, it becomes the brachial artery. At the cubital fossa, it splits into the radial and ulnar arteries. These come back together to form the deep and superficial palmar arches.

Trace the arteries from the aortic arch to the brain.

The middle branch of the aortic arch is the left common carotid artery. It branches into the left external carotid artery that supplies the left side of the face and the left internal carotid artery that goes to the brain. The right common carotid artery branches off the brachiocephalic trunk (the rightmost branch off the aortic arch). It branches into the right external carotid artery that supplies the right side of the face and the right internal carotid artery that goes to the brain.

Trace the flow of blood through the brain from posterior to anterior.

The right and left vertebral arteries merge into the basilar artery. The basilar artery divides into a pair of posterior cerebral arteries. Arterial shunts called posterior communicating arteries connect the posterior cerebral arteries to the middle cerebral arteries. The internal carotid arteries become the middle cerebral arteries at this junction. Past this junction, the anterior cerebral arteries are connected by the single anterior communicating artery to complete the cerebral arterial circle known as the circle of Willis.

Trace the veins in the brain from the right internal jugular vein.

The right internal jugular vein enters the skull through the jugular foramen. Branches connect it to the cavernous sinus in the middle bottom of the brain. Past those connections following the line of the back of the skull, it becomes the sigmoid sinus and then the transverse sinus. The transverse sinus from each side merges to become the superior sagittal sinus. Just after that junction, the straight sinus joins it, which had branched off the inferior sagittal sinus at the center of the brain.

Trace the arteries from the aortic arch to the right arm.

The rightmost branch of the aortic arch is the brachiocephalic trunk. It branches into the right common carotid artery and the right subclavian artery. The right vertebral artery branches off the right subclavian. The right subclavian artery passes under the right clavicle to become the axillary artery.

Trace the veins from the heart into the head.

The superior vena cava splits into the right and left brachiocephalic veins into subclavian veins. The subclavian vein has three branches that go up the neck from medial to lateral: the internal jugular vein that leads to the brain and has branches that go into the face, the vertebral vein that leads to the brain, and the external jugular vein that splits below the skull.

Trace the veins from the heart down the arm.

The superior vena cava splits into the right and left brachiocephalic veins into subclavian veins. The subclavian vein passes under the clavicle and splits into the axillary vein and the cephalic vein. The axillary vein splits into the brachial vein that is deeper in the arm and the basilar vein that is more superior. The brachial vein splits at the cubital fossa into the radial and ulnar veins. These and the the basilic and cephalic veins join in the hand. Digital veins from the fingers join then in the palm.