International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | Vol. 15, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 036–048

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000171

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Anatomical Variations of the Hepatic Artery branching Patterns: A Retro-Prospective Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Study

Names of Authors: Elena R. Dimitrova¹, Ivan P. Stoyanov²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria; ²Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University Hospital St. Ivan Rilski, Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract:
Surgical interventions in the upper abdomen, including liver transplantations, pancreatectomies, and transarterial chemoembolization, demand a precise understanding of hepatic arterial anatomy to avoid accidental ligation or ischemic complications. This study aimed to classify the anatomical variations of the hepatic artery using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) scans based on Michels' classification system. A retrospective and prospective review of 450 abdominal CECT angiograms was conducted over a five-year period. Classic normal anatomy (Type I), where the common hepatic artery originates from the celiac trunk and divides into the gastroduodenal and proper hepatic arteries, was observed in 68.2% of the cases (n = 307). Anatomical variants were identified in 31.8% of the cohort (n = 143). The most prevalent variant was Michels' Type III (a replaced right hepatic artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery), found in 11.1% of patients. Michels' Type II (a replaced left hepatic artery originating from the left gastric artery) occurred in 7.3% of the cases. Accessory right and left hepatic arteries (Types V and VI) were documented in 4.2% and 3.6% of the population, respectively. Rare configurations not matching Michels' classic descriptions, such as a celiomesenteric trunk, were observed in 1.8% of individuals. This large-scale imaging study confirms that classical hepatic arterial anatomy is absent in nearly one-third of the population, emphasizing the critical value of multi-detector CECT mapping prior to hepatobiliary surgeries.

Keywords: Hepatic Artery, Anatomical Variations, Michels' Classification, Computed Tomography, Celiac Trunk

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 29, 2026; Revised: July 09, 2026; Accepted: July 28, 2026; Published: August 21, 2026

Citation: Dimitrova E.R., & Stoyanov I.P. (2026). Anatomical Variations of the Hepatic Artery branching Patterns: A Retro-Prospective Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Study. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, 15(8), 036–048. DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000171

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | Vol. 15, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 025–035

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000170

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Histomorphometric Evaluation of Renal Cortical Microarchitecture Alterations Following Chronic High-Fructose Diet Exposure in Wistar Rats

Names of Authors: Sithole T. Mamba¹, Nkosana J. Dlamini²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eswatini, Mbabane, Eswatini; ²Department of Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Abstract:
The rising consumption of dietary refined sugars is closely linked to metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease. This study evaluated the specific histomorphometric alterations in the renal cortical microarchitecture induced by chronic high-fructose intake. Twenty-four male Wistar rats (weighing 180 to 210 g) were randomly divided into two equal groups (n = 12): a control group receiving standard rodent chow and water, and a fructose group receiving the same chow alongside a 20% fructose solution ad libitum for 16 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, renal tissue sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) for digital histomorphometric analysis. The fructose-fed group displayed a significant reduction in the mean glomerular volume (1.12 x 10^5 μm³ vs 1.45 x 10^5 μm³, p < 0.01) accompanied by an increase in Bowman's space width (4.8 ± 0.6 μm vs 2.3 ± 0.3 μm, p < 0.01) compared to the control group. Tubular epithelial cell heights in the proximal convoluted tubules decreased significantly by 28.5% (p < 0.05), pointing to cellular atrophy. Furthermore, PAS staining revealed marked basement membrane thickening and a 3.4-fold increase in the fractional area of interstitial fibrosis in the fructose group. These findings demonstrate that a chronic 20% fructose diet induces measurable structural degradation within the renal cortex, highlighting the susceptibility of glomerular and tubular microarchitecture to metabolic stressors independent of aging.

Keywords: Histomorphometry, Renal Cortex, Fructose, Glomerulus, Interstitial Fibrosis, Wistar Rats

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 20, 2026; Revised: July 02, 2026; Accepted: July 24, 2026; Published: August 14, 2026

Citation: Mamba S.T., & Dlamini N.J. (2026). Histomorphometric Evaluation of Renal Cortical Microarchitecture Alterations Following Chronic High-Fructose Diet Exposure in Wistar Rats. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, 15(8), 025–035. DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000170

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | Vol. 15, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 013–024

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000169

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Morphometric Analysis of the Nutrient Foramina in Human Long Bones of the Upper Limb Within a Contemporary West African Cohort

Names of Authors: Chidi E. Okafor¹, Amara K. Bello²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; ²Department of Human Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract:
Knowledge of the location and number of nutrient foramina is critical in orthopaedic surgeries, particularly in bone grafting, fracture repair, and microsurgical vascularized bone transplantation. This study investigated the morphometric characteristics, position, and number of nutrient foramina in 120 dry human long bones of the upper limb (60 humeri, 30 radii, and 30 ulnae) obtained from contemporary West African anatomical collections. The nutrient foramina were identified macroscopically using a hand lens and verified with a 24-gauge needle. The foraminal index (FI) was calculated to determine the precise position of each foramen relative to the total length of the bone. In the humerus, 72.3% of the foramina were located on the anteromedial surface, with a mean FI of 56.4 ± 3.2%, positioning them primarily in the middle third of the diaphysis. The radius exhibited a single nutrient foramen in 93.3% of specimens, predominantly located on the anterior surface with a mean FI of 35.8 ± 2.1% (proximal third). For the ulna, 86.7% of the foramina were observed on the anterior surface, yielding a mean FI of 38.1 ± 1.9%. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the distribution or number of foramina based on the side of the body (p > 0.05). These data demonstrate distinct topographical variations specific to this population group, underscoring the necessity of pre-operative planning to preserve the periosteal and diaphyseal blood supply during surgical interventions involving the upper limb.

Keywords: Nutrient Foramina, Humerus, Radius, Ulna, Foraminal Index, Morphometry, Bone Grafting

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 12, 2026; Revised: June 28, 2026; Accepted: July 19, 2026; Published: August 05, 2026

Citation: Okafor C.E., & Bello A.K. (2026). Morphometric Analysis of the Nutrient Foramina in Human Long Bones of the Upper Limb Within a Contemporary West African Cohort. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, 15(8), 013–024. DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/000169

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | ISSN 2326-7275 | Vol. 15 (7),  pp. 001–012, July, 2026
DOI: 10.46882/2026IJAP000111

Article Type: Perspective

Title: Stochastic Fascia: The Ionic Fabric of Consciousness - A Clinical Anatomist's Perspective

Names of Authors: John Sharkey

Author's Affiliation: Irish College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), National Training Centre (NTC), Ireland. Email: [email protected]

Abstract:
Years of fascia-focused dissection make it impossible to regard the body as an assembled machine. Dissection reveals that there are no levers in the body and no 'layers' whereby skin is the youngest deposit and bone the oldest. In geology, layers form sequentially according to the Law of Superposition, where the deepest layer is the oldest and the most superficial is the youngest. Embryology does not work in that way. Unlike a machine, the body grows its coherence across a spectrum from softness to hardness, yet mechanistic metaphors persist: the heart as pump, the brain as computer, the tendon as pulley. Such language has profoundly influenced science, culture, and contemporary thinking around consciousness. This paper draws upon embryology, clinical anatomy, extracellular matrix biology, mechanotransduction, bioelectric signalling, autonomic physiology, and contemporary theories of biological coherence to propose that continuity precedes anatomical differentiation and persists throughout life, despite the descriptive boundaries imposed by anatomical nomenclature. Fascia is considered as a continuous, developmentally grounded, ionically active biological continuum extending throughout the organism, providing a primary component of the biological environment through which structural organisation, physiological adaptation, mechanosensation, and embodied awareness are integrated across multiple spatial and temporal scales. This paper distinguishes established anatomical and physiological evidence from theoretical interpretation and advances the hypothesis that the fascial continuum participates in the biological conditions through which embodied awareness becomes possible. Concepts including stochastic development, emergence, bioelectric morphogenesis, extracellular matrix dynamics, and multiscale biological coherence are considered within a single developmental framework that emphasises relationship over reductionism and becoming over assembly. This perspective argues that consciousness is not the spark of a biological machine but the dynamic coherence of a body that continually forms and reforms itself, with fascia providing the biological substrate through which local sensation contributes to global awareness.

Keywords: Fascia; consciousness; embryology; developmental biology; extracellular matrix; bioelectricity; mechanotransduction; stochasticity; emergence; embodiment; connective tissue; ionic coherence

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 30, 2026; Revised: July 12, 2026; Accepted: July 13, 2026; Published: July 22, 2026.

Citation: Sharkey, J. (2026). Stochastic Fascia: The Ionic Fabric of Consciousness - A Clinical Anatomist's Perspective. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, 15(7), 001–012. DOI: 10.46882/2026IJAP000111

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology ISSN 2326-7275 Vol. 14 (6), pp. 001-004, June, 2026. 

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of the Reproductive Toxicity and Thyroid Function of Ipomoea batatas Leaf Extract in Male Wistar Rats

P. B. Udoh1*, F. V. Udoh2, I. S. Umo1 and E. V. Ikpeme3
 

1Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
2Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
3Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Nigeria.

Accepted 6 April, 2026

The effect of the leaf extract Ipomoea batatas was investigated on the thyroid gonadal axis of male rats. The leaf extract of I. batatas was extracted by dissolving a measured dry-powder leaf sample in a known volume of distilled water. The soaked plant sample was allowed to stand overnight for 24 h. The sample was filtered and the filtrate evaporated into solid extract. Three doses of the leaf extract of I. batatas (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg/d) were administered orally daily for three weeks. At the end of the treatment, the rats of all the groups were sacrificed and their thyroid glands and testes were isolated and fixed in Bouin’s fluid for 48 h. The sections of the tissues were processed for histopathology. The results revealed follicles hypertrophy and hyperplasia as well as reduction of colloid in the lumen of the follicles. The photomicrograph of the testes morphology revealed oligospermia, asthenospermia and abnormal sperm morphology suggesting male contraceptive property of the plant extract. These effects were also confirmed by sperm count. The possible mechanism of action could be both direct on gonads and indirect via the hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis.

Key words: Thyroid, gonads, Ipomoea batatas, contraception, Wistar rats.
 

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology ISSN 2326-7275 Vol. 14 (6), pp. 001-012, June, 2026. 

Full Length Research Paper

Inflammatory Mediators, Apoptosis, and Nitric Oxide in Type II Diabetes Mellitus: Exacerbating Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Mahmoud M. Gabr1, Abdel-Aziz M. Hussein2*, Iman O. Sherif3, Sousou I. Ali3 and Hoda E. Mohamed3

1Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura, Egypt.
2Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Cairo Egypt.
3Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

Accepted 21 September, 2025

Diabetes mellitus (DM) especially type II is a major health problem and diabetic nephropathy is the main cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is common in diabetic patients. Recent studies reported increased vulnerability of kidney to I/R injury in diabetic rats. Mechanisms behind this increased vulnerability not fully understood. The present study investigated the effect of acute ischemia for 45 min on proinflammatory cytokines, apoptotic markers, and nitric oxide (NO) in a rat model of type II diabetes. Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 15, each); Group I: Normal rats, Group II: Normal rats underwent left renal ischemia for 45 min, Group III: diabetic rats without renal ischemia, Group IV: diabetic rats underwent left renal ischemia for
45 min. Blood and kidney samples were taken 24 h after ischemia. Serum glucose, fructosamine, creatinine, TNFa, as well as the expression of TGFβ, NFkappaB, iNOS, survivin, and Bcl2 in kidney tissue was measured. Type II DM caused significant increase in serum glucose, fructosamine, creatinine, and TNFa and expression of TGFβ, NFkB and iNOS in renal tissue (P < 0.001). Also, DM caused significant increase in apoptotic cell death with increase in Bcl-2 expression and decreased survivin in kidney. 45 min ischemia in diabetic rats caused more significant increase in serum TNF-a and expression of TGF-β, NF-kappa B and iNOS (P < 0.001). Also; there was a positive correlation between blood glucose and TNFa, TGFβ, NFkB and iNOS with negative correlation with survivin (P < 0.01). Type II DM render the kidney more susceptible to ischemic injury. Proinflammatory cytokines TNF-a, TGFβ, and NFkB and iNOS as well as Bcl2 and survivin may contribute to the enhanced renal ischemic injury in type II DM. Also, hyperglycaemia may be involved in hypersensitivity of kidney to ischemic injury in DM.

Key words: Diabetes, kidney, ischemia, apoptosis, TNFalpha, TGFbeta, NFkB, iNOS, Bcl-2, surviving.