Morphological characteristics of the anterior mesenteric artery of fowl

Abstract

Abstract The anterior mesenteric artery of two species of fowl, the turkey and chicken, is found to differ structurally from the basic pattern observed in other avian arteries and in mammalian arteries in general. This difference in structure lies in the fact that the avian anterior mesenteric artery contains two well‐developed muscular components: an inner circular, and an outer longitudinal, analogous to the arrangement of the muscularis externa of the intestinal wall. However, the evidence presented indicates that the outer longitudinal layer is part of the adventitia. The possible functional significance of this feature is discussed.