Functional anatomy of the portal vein and its main and segmental branches in the adult man.

The AA. study the special disposition of collagen, elastic and muscular fibers in the supraduodenal portion of the portal vein and its main and segmental branches. Forty specimens were removed at necropsy from adult individuals and prepared by various methods: a) pellicle preparations stained by resorcin-fuchsin (Weigert), Azan, azo-carmine B, alum-carmine, or else examined by polarized light without staining, b) dissection under stereomicroscope of specimens treated by the method of Semper or van Gieson, c) histological sections stained by Masson's trichrome, Azan, Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin and Verhöff methods. The results corresponding to the different layers and levels of the vascular system studied are schematically reported in Figures 1A, 1C, 2A, 2E and 4B and are commented upon under a morphofunctional criterion.