Summary
The anatomical pattern and development of the venous system of the cranial base in the rat is described. The anatomy of the venous system was determined from observations of vascular casts in adult ratss; the development of the vascular system was established by examination of ink-injected embryos. A transverse sinus system was found to be present in the basal venous system. The sinus connects the posterior facial veins; its middle section transverses the cranial base through the basisphenoid canal, and it receives the venae ophthalmicae within the basisphenoid bone. The venae ophthalmicae in turn are connected to the perioptic veins and to the sinus interperiopticus intracranially. Dorsally, the venae ophthalmicae anastomose with the paired sinus cavernosus. The term sinus transversus basalis is proposed for the venous connection between the posterior facial veins within the basisphenoid bone of the rat. The anlage of the sinus transversus basalis is established by vascular networks during the final prenatal period, its formation, however, is only completed postnatally. The anlages of the venae periopticae, the venae ophthalmicae, the sinus cavernosus and the rami intercavernosi are already established at early developmental stages. The characteristic pattern is formed before birth.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ambach G, Horváth S, Palkovits M (1975) The arterial and venous blood supply of the septum pellucidum in the rat. Acta Morphol Acad Sci Hung 23:133–144
Butler H (1967) The development of mammalian dural venous sinuses with especial reference to the post-glenoid vein. J Anat 102:33–56
Greene ECh (1963) The anatomy of the rat. Hafner, New York, London
Hebel R, Stromberg MW (1986) Anatomy and embryology of the laboratory rat. Bio-Med: Wörthsee
Landsmeer JMF (1951) Vessels of the rat's hypophysis. Acta Anat 12:82–109
Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, 3rd edn (1983) New York
Padget DH (1957) The development of the cranial venous system in man, from the viewpoint of comparative anatomy. Contrib Embryol 36:79–140
Romeis B (1948) Mikroskopische Technik. R. Oldenbourg, München, p 200
Szabó K (1987) Origin of the adenohypophyseal vessels in the rat. J Anat 154:229–235
Szabó K (1989a) Entwicklung des kranialen venösen Systems der Ratte. Verh Anat Ges 82 [Anat Anz Suppl 164]: 587–588
Szabó K (1989b) Das kraniale venöse Abfluβsystem der Ratte. Anat Anz 168:89
Szabó K (1990) Über die Entwicklung des Blutabfluβsystems an der Schädelbasis der Ratte. Verh Anat Ges 83 [Anat Anz Suppl 166]: 201–202
Szabó K, Csányi K (1981) Eine modifizierte Tuscheinjektionsmethode zur Darstellung embryonaler Gefäβe in der Ratte. Mikroskopie (Wien) 38:319–324
Szabó K, Csányi K (1982) The vascular architecture of the developing pituitary-median eminence complex in the rat. Cell Tissue Res 224:563–577
Szabó K, Mendoza AS (1988) Developmental studies on the rat vomeronasal organ: Vascular pattern and neuroepithelial differentiation. I. Light microscopy. Dev Brain Res 39:253–258
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
On leave from the First Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis OTE Budapest, Hungary
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Szabó, K. The cranial venous system in the rat: anatomical pattern and ontogenetic development. Anat Embryol 182, 225–234 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00185516
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00185516