Cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in the yellow-toothed cavy (Galea spixii) / Artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal do preá (Galea spixii)

ABSTRACT

Background: The yellow-toothed cavy is a wild rodent in the Caviidae family. It adapts well to captivity and may, in thenear future, be bred on a large scale as an alternative source of low cost protein of high nutritional value. Considering thelack of information available on the vascularization of this species digestive system, and with the aim of contributing tothe body of knowledge of this species biology, this study describes the origin and distribution of the cranial and caudalmesenteric arteries of the yellow-toothed cavy.Materials, Methods & Results: Twenty male yellow-toothed cavies, previously used in other experiments (CEUA N.15/2014 and Process N° 23.091.000653/2014-26), were kept in a freezer at the Center for the Multiplication of WildAnimals (CEMAS / UFERSA). The animals were thawed, after which the thoracic aorta of each specimen was caudallycannulated and injected with red- or yellow-colored latex solution. The animals were then fixed in 10% formaldehydesolution, and dissected after 48 h, during which the branches of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries were described.In all cases, the cranial mesenteric artery arised from the section of abdominal aorta, at the section between the first andsecond lumbar vertebra, near the celiac artery, and it includes the following arterial branches the caudal pancreatic duodenal, middle colic, duodenojejunal and right colic arteries, as well as eight to eleven jejune arteries, and the ileocecocolictrunk, from which extend one or two colic branches, five to seven cecum branches, and the ileal artery. In all animals, thecranial mesenteric artery originates from the abdominal aorta, posterior to the testicular arteries...(AU)