Diagram of veins and arteries
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Diagram of Veins and Arteries: Insights from Recent Research
Anatomical Illustrations of Brain Vessels
Brain Arteries and Veins Atlas
A comprehensive atlas of the human brain's arterial and venous systems provides detailed anatomical illustrations. This atlas includes 45 plates of arteries and 15 plates of veins, with specimens injected with colored acrylic plastic (red for arteries and blue for veins) to enhance visibility. The dissections are photographed from various angles, offering a clear and detailed view of the vascular structures.
Automated Classification and Segmentation
Pulmonary Artery-Vein Separation in CT Scans
Recent advancements in computed tomography (CT) have enabled the automatic separation and classification of pulmonary arteries and veins. This method uses local and global information to construct a geometric graph representing the vessels' topology and spatial distribution. The system achieves a median accuracy of 89% in distinguishing between arteries and veins, closely matching manual annotations.
Retinal Vascular Graph Separation
In the retina, arteries and veins form a vascular graph that can be separated using a rule-based method. This approach involves pre-segmentation and hand-labeled vessel segments, propagating labels through a dual constraint graph. The method effectively distinguishes between arteries and veins based on their anatomical characteristics.
Joint Segmentation and Classification in Fundus Images
A novel method combining deep learning and graph propagation has been developed for the segmentation and classification of retinal arteries and veins from fundus images. This technique achieves high accuracy in vessel segmentation (94.8%) and classification (specificity of 92.9% and sensitivity of 93.7%), outperforming previous methods.
Structural and Functional Differences
General Characteristics of Arteries and Veins
Arteries and veins are structurally and functionally distinct. Arteries transport blood from the heart to tissues, with walls composed of elastic tissue and smooth muscle. As arteries branch and decrease in size, their walls incorporate more smooth muscle. Veins, on the other hand, return blood to the heart and have thinner walls with less elastic tissue.
Molecular Distinctions
Molecular markers differentiate arteries and veins at the cellular level. Ephrin-B2 marks arterial endothelial cells, while its receptor Eph-B4 marks venous cells. These markers are crucial for angiogenesis and the development of capillary networks, indicating that genetic programs play a significant role in arterial-venous differentiation .
Developmental Insights
Zebrafish Model for Vascular Development
Studies using zebrafish have identified signals responsible for the differentiation of arterial and venous endothelial cells. The gridlock (grl) gene, expressed in the lateral posterior mesoderm, guides the arterial-venous decision. Mutations in grl or interference with notch signaling can alter the development of arteries and veins, highlighting the genetic control over vascular differentiation .
Conclusion
The research on veins and arteries spans detailed anatomical atlases, advanced imaging techniques, and molecular and developmental biology. These studies collectively enhance our understanding of the structural, functional, and genetic distinctions between arteries and veins, providing valuable insights for both clinical and research applications.
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