Adrenal glands/ supra renal glands: Flashcards
Adrenal gland has 2 parts:
Cortex and medulla
Embryology:
- 2 parts develop from 2 separate embryological tissue
Embryology of the cortex
- Develops from intermediate mesodermal
- Develops from the celomic epithelium of the posterior abdominal wall
Embryology of the medulla
- Ectodermal in origin
- Develops from neural crest cells
- Originating in the proximity of the dorsal aorta
Located in
superomedial aspects of the kidneys and the diaphragm
Suprarenal glands surrounded by
- connective tissue, containing large amounts of paranephric fat
- as well as renal fascia, by which they are attached to the crura of the diaphragm.
Their major attachment is the
diaphragmatic crura
Separated from the kidney by a
very thin septum
R adrenal gland vs L adrenal gland
- R adrenal gland, makes contact with the IVC anteromedially
- L adrenal gland, related to the spleen, stomach, pancreas and the left crus of the diaphragm
Each gland has a hilum
where the veins and lymphatic vessels exit and the arteries and the nerves enter (at multiple sites).
Arterial supply
Three arteries usually supply each adrenal gland:
Supra renal arteries: made up of:
* The superior suprarenal artery, a branch of the inferior phrenic artery
* The middle suprarenal artery, a direct branch of the abdominal aorta
* The inferior suprarenal artery, a branch of the renal artery
Venous drainage
Venous blood is drained from the glands by the suprarenal veins, usually one for each gland:
* The short right suprarenal vein drains into the inferior vena cava
* The longer left suprarenal vein drains into the left renal vein or the left inferior phrenic vein.
Nerve supply:
- Rich nerve supply of supra renal gland comes from greater, lesser and least splanchnic nerve as well as the celiac plexus
Lymphatic drainage:
- Suprarenal lymphatics vessels arises from a plexus which is deep in the capsule as well as the medulla
- Most end up draining into the lumbar group of lymph nodes.
