Blood vascular organization of the human appendix: a scanning electron microscopic study of corrosion casts.

Blood vascular beds of the human appendix were reproduced with a methacrylate casting medium and observed with a scanning electron microscope. The appendix received some small afferent arterial branches of the appendicular artery. These small arterial branches pierced the muscular layer and reached the submucosal plexus. Small arterioles arising from this plexus, climbed the mucosa and formed honeycomb-like capillary meshes at the luminal surface level. These capillaries were drained by the collecting veins, which descended the mucosa and joined the submucosal plexus. The large efferent veins arising from the submucosal plexus passed through the muscular layer and continued with the appendicular vein. In the mucosal and submucosal layers, several spherical basket-like casts of the germinal center (lymphoid follicle) were seen. In the parafollicular region (primary follicle), casts of postcapillary venules with prominent surface undulations were relatively frequently observed.