The arterial supply of the thymus in goat fetuses

Abstract

There were studied the origin, number and ordering of the thymic arteries in 30 goat fetuses - 16 males and 14 females; the vessels were dissected
after injection with coloured Neoprene latex 450 solution. The obtained results show that: 1) the thymic arteries come, directly or indirectly, from the brachiocephalic trunk, left costocervical trunk, left internal thoracic artery, bicarotid trunk, left subclavian artery, right and left common carotid arteries, right and left cranial thyroid arteries, right and left caudal thyroid arteries, right and left cranial laryngeal arteries, right and left occipital ar teries and left lingual artery; 2 ) there were registered from five to twenty two arteries, that is, sixteen (16.66%); fifteen (13.33%); twelve, thirteen,
fourteen or seventeen (1 0.0%); nine or eighteen (6 .66%) and five, eight, ten, twenty or twenty two (3.33%), no matter which theirs origins; 3) each piece has showed a proper model of vascularization, when origin and nunber of arteries were considered on the whole; 4) there were not computed statistical significant differences, between sexes, when there were confronted the participation of the distinct branches.