Arterial Irrigation of the Spleen in Kangal sheep: A scanning Electron Microscopic study

This study was performed to demonstrate the arterial irrigation of the spleen in Kangal Type Akkaraman sheep both under scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. The spleens from 10 Kangal sheep were obtained from a slaughterhouse and used in this study. The necessary protocol for imaging under an electron microscope was applied to five of the spleens, and their images were obtained. After tissue tracing, the remaining five spleens were stained with Mallory’s triple staining technique and examined under a light microscope. Macroscopically, it was seen that the spleen was leaf-shaped and that the splenic artery was divided into two main branches, the arteria dorsalis and arteria ventralis. It was found that many arteria trabecularis separated off from the main branches and that the arteria trabecularis divided into arteria centralis. These vessels continued with arteria penicillaris, the ends of which ended blindly in the form of bulbs. The findings obtained from the light microscope examination were parallel to those obtained from the scanning electron microscope analysis. The findings obtained from both microscope types are discussed, considering the available literature. The findings from the study offer guidance for the surgical intervention of the spleen. Furthermore, it provides researchers with the necessary information to compare studies that have been and will be performed in other species. This study addresses the deficiency in the literature on the subject.