Article — Artikel The ovarian and uterine arteries in the chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) A Çevik-Demirkana*, V Özdemira and I Demirkanb from the Center for Experimental Medi- ABSTRACT cine, Research and Application, Afyon The purpose of this study was to describe arteries supplying the ovaries and uterus in the chinchilla. Five healthy adult female chinchillas were used. In order to reveal the arterial Kocatepe University, Turkey, were used network by dissecting under a stereoscopic microscope, latex coloured with red ink was in this study. The live body weight of injected through the common carotid artery. The ovaries of the chinchilla are supplied by chinchillas varied between 450 g and the arteriae ovaricae which formed end-to-end anastomoses with the cranial termination of 500 g. The animals were euthanased by 7 the arteria uterina. Soon after leaving the aorta abdominalis, the arteriae ovaricae extended the methods described by Flecknell . 2–3 mm caudolaterally, then released 1 branch and extended caudally and bifurcated into 2 Regulations of the ethical committee further branches. One of these supplied branches to fat tissue. The other branch coursed of Afyon Kocatepe University were fol- caudally and anastomosed with the arteria circumflexa ilium profunda and dispersed into fat lowed. Following euthanasia, 1 m of tissue. The arteria ovarica further subdivided into 2 rami ovaricae. The origins of the uterine heparine sodium (Nevparin, Mustafa arteries were exclusively from the left arteria iliaca externa. The arteria uterina gave a branch Nevzat, Istanbul, Turkey) was imme- to the arteria umbilicalis and consecutive branches which supplied to the ureter, urinary diately injected via the jugular vein to pre- bladder and cranial aspects of the vagina. It also gave rise to 2–3 branches to the cervix and vent blood coagulation. Animals were further supplied 10–12 meandering branches to the uterine horns. The arteria uterina gave bled by cutting the jugular vein. The vessels rise to many tortuous arteries to the uterus and provided 2 further branches to the ovary. were flushed with warm isotonic saline Keywords: anatomy, artery, chinchilla, ovaries, uterus. solution until the tissues were blanched. Çevik-Demirkan A, Özdemir V,Demirkan I The ovarian and uterine arteries in the chin- Latex coloured with red ink was injected chilla (Chinchilla lanigera). Journal of the South African Veterinary Association (2010) 81(1): through the arteria carotis communis. The 54–57 (En.). Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe Uni- cadavers were fixed in 10% formaldehyde versity, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. solution for 24 hours at room temperature. To observe the arteria ovarica and the arteria uterina, the broad ligament and the INTRODUCTION in Lagomorpha, rodents and domesti- peritoneal tissue adjacent to the ventral Chinchilla lanigera is a rodent species cated animals is described in detail in midline of the abdominal cavity were belonging to the family Chinchillidae10 many textbooks3,5,13,14. The arteria ovarica dissected carefully under a stereo-micro- and originates from the central Andes in runs along the dorsal abdominal wall into scope. The photographs were taken using Chile, Peru and Bolivia in South Ameri- the mesovarium and the right artery a digital camera (Sony DSC F-717, Japan). ca15. They are kept for fur, as pets or labo- crosses the vena cava caudalis ventrally. It The latest edition of the Nomina Anatomica ratory animals20. gives rise to the ramus tubarius which lies Veterinaria was used for the terminology17. The female genital organs of mammals in the mesosalpinx, and supplies the The figures in Popesko et al.19 were also consist of ovaries, fallopian tubes, a uterine tube by means of several mean- used as a guide for the nomenclature. uterus and a vagina. The ovaries lie on the dering branches in mammals16. In many dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity and species, including pigs, hamsters, rats and RESULTS caudal to the kidneys3,5,14. The ostium is rabbits, the ovarian and uterine arteries The ovaries were exclusively supplied the funnel-shaped opening of the fallo- anastomose near the ovary to provide a by the arteria ovarica. These arteries origi- pian tubes. Fimbriae tubariae extend as dual or parallel supply13. The ovarian nated either from the aorta abdominalis fingerlike projections from the edge of the artery is generally assumed to supply the (Figs 1a, 4a) at about the level of the origin ostium. The fallopian tubes are small, ovaries and also the uterus9,13. The arteria of the arteria renalis or slightly caudal to it. short and highly coiled, extending between ovarica arises from the aorta abdominalis in (Figs 1b, 4b). The right arteria ovarica ovaries and uterus. In rabbits the uterus is mammals and rodents. The arteria uterina (Figs 1c, 4c) and the left arteria ovarica divided into 2 completely separate uter- originates from the arteria umbilicalis and (Figs 1c’, 2e, 4c’) arose from the aorta 3 mm ine horns that open caudally into the runs through the mesometrium in rab- caudal to the arteria renalis. vagina through a single cervix that pro- bits, pigs and ruminants3,16 whereas the Each of the arteria ovarica passed jects into the vagina14. Similarly, the uterine artery stems from the external obliquely caudad across the ventral sur- uterus of the chinchilla is duplex and the iliac artery in horses16. face of the psoas muscle and the ureter. uterine horns open by 2 lateral slit-like Our literature search on the arterial The ovarian rami formed meandering structures22. vascularisation of ovaries and uterus in branches 2–3 mm from the aorta. Soon Vascularisation of the uterus and ovaries the chinchilla was unrewarding. Thus, after leaving the aorta abdominalis, the this paper describes the course and anas- arteria ovarica extended caudolaterally for aDepartment of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, tomosis of the arteria uterina and arteria a distance of approximately 2–3 mm, then Turkey. uterina in the chinchilla. produced 1 thin branch, which extended bDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, caudally and subdivided into 2 branches Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS (Figs 1d, 4d). The course of these 2 *Author for correspondence. E-mail: [email protected] Five healthy, adult female, non-pregnant branches was straight. One of these Received: February 2009. Accepted: September 2009. chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) obtained supplied rami to the fat tissue and the 54 0038-2809 Tydskr.S.Afr.vet.Ver. (2010) 81(1): 54–57 other branch ran caudally and ana- stomosed with the arteria circumflexa ilium profunda and dispersed into fat tissues in this region. The arteria ovarica gave off 2 rami tubarii (with an angle of 30° be- tween them) (Figs 2a, 4e), and then con- tinued as the ramus uterinus (the main trunk). One of the branches (cranial branch) of ramus tubarius extended to fimbriae tubariae (Figs 2b, 4h) and infundibulum of the fallopian tubes. The other branch (caudal branch) from the ramus tubarius extended to the hilus of the ovary (Figs 2c, 4i) and produced 2–3 branches while entering the hilus. Before entering the hilus of the ovary, the caudal branch anastomosed with 1 branch com- ing from the uterine artery. The ramus uterinus ran more caudally to form a major end-to-end anastomosis with the cranial termination of the arteria uterina Fig. 1: Ventral view of the arteria ovarica, course and origin from the aorta abdominalis (Figs 2d, 4f). (Chinchilla lanigera, female, non-pregnant). a, Aorta abdominalis; b, arteria renalis; c, right The aorta abdominalis bifurcated into the arteria ovarica; c’, left arteria ovarica; d, thin branch of ovarian artery (supplying fat tissue). left and right arteria iliaca communis (at the Scale bar = 5 mm. level of 5th and 6th lumbar vertebrae) (Figs 3a, 4p), each of which further subdi- course, were in close apposition, and arteria renalis and in some cases formed vided into the external and internal iliac sometimes showed various degrees of coil- anastomoses with branches of the arteria arteries. Arteria iliaca communis continued ing in the chinchilla. This close anatomical renalis9. In rabbits, it arose from the aorta in a caudolateral direction on the dorsal relationship was described previously in abdominalis, immediately behind the ori- aspect of the uterus. It bifurcated into the other species, such as guinea-pigs9, rats13, gin of the inferior mesenteric artery3, arteria iliaca externa and the arteria iliaca rabbits11,18, mice6, primates such as Rhesus whereas it left the abdominal aorta slightly interna within 7 mm on the right and monkeys8 and, baboons21. caudal to the arteria renalis in mice6, New 9 mm on the left beyond the aorta The arteria ovarica, in the chinchilla, orig- Zealand rabbits11 and in rats2,23. Each of the (Figs 3b,c, 4q, 4/r). The arteria uterina origi- inated from the aorta abdominalis about ovarian arteries after emerging from the nated from the external iliac arteries 2–3 mm from the caudal aspects of right aorta abdominalis, divided into 2 branches, (Figs 3d, 4s). Initially, the arteria uterina and left arteriae renalis. However, in the caudal branches served the Fallopian gave off a branch to the arteria umbilicalis guinea pigs, the arteria ovarica originated tubes and uterine horns, and the cranial (Figs 3e, 4t) and supplied 1 branch to both either from the aorta at about the level of branch mainly supplied blood to the the ureter (Fig2 3f, 4o), urinary bladder origin of the arteria renalis, direct branches ovary in guinea pigs4,8,9, rats4,8, mice6 (Figs 3g, 4n) and cranial aspects of the of arteria renalis, or common trunks with and in New Zealand rabbits11. Similar vagina. The uterine artery passed medi- ally toward the cervix where it gave rise to 2–3 branches to the cervix (Figs 3h, 4m).