Abdominal Organs and Endocrine Anatomy

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the gross anatomy, blood supply, duct systems, and spatial relationships of abdominal organs (liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, duodenum, kidneys) and endocrine glands.

Liver

A large abdominal organ located in the cranial abdomen immediately caudal to the diaphragm, divided into six lobes in animals and susceptible to external trauma.

Lobes of the Animal Liver

The six anatomical divisions of the animal liver: right medial, right lateral, caudate, quadrate, left medial, and left lateral lobes.

Gallbladder

A simple organ located between the right medial lobe and the quadrate lobe of the liver that stores and secretes bile.

Bile

An alkaline emulsifier synthesized by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that digests lipids and carries waste products such as bilirubin.

Hepatic Artery

A major blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood from the heart to the liver.

Hepatic Vein

A major blood vessel that conveys blood out of the liver into the caudal vena cava toward the heart.

Hepatic Portal Vein

A major blood vessel that delivers nutrient-rich blood from the spleen and small intestines to the liver for processing.

Pancreas

A thin organ situated in the upper abdomen immediately caudal to the stomach and medial to the duodenum that aids in digestion and endocrine regulation.

Biliary Tree

The duct system (also known as the biliary system, biliary ducts, or biliary tract) that collects secretions from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas and directs them to the duodenum.

Hepatic Ducts (Right and Left)

The branches of the biliary tree that collect bile directly from the right and left sides of the liver.

Common Hepatic Duct

The duct formed by the confluence of the right and left hepatic ducts that solely transports bile from the liver.

Cystic Duct

The duct of the biliary tree that connects directly to the gallbladder.

Common Bile Duct

The conduit formed by the union of the common hepatic duct and the cystic duct that carries bile toward the duodenum.

Pancreatic Duct

The duct that transports digestive enzymes directly from the pancreas into the biliary tract.

Hepatopancreatic Duct

The terminal portion of the biliary pathway (ampulla of Vater) combining secretions from the pancreatic duct and the bile-carrying ducts before discharging into the duodenum.

Spleen

An abdominal organ in the upper left quadrant, lateral to the stomach and caudal to the liver, that functions as a reservoir for blood.

Thyroid Glands

Paired endocrine glands positioned lateral to the upper-to-mid cervical trachea.

Parathyroid Glands

Small endocrine glands situated on the cranial aspect of each thyroid gland.

Adrenal Glands

Paired endocrine glands located medial to both kidneys and lateral to the central great vessels (more cranial in cats than in dogs).

Adrenal Cortex

The outer region of the adrenal gland, organized into the zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, and zona reticularis.

Zona Glomerulosa

The outermost anatomical zone of the adrenal cortex.

Zona Fasciculata

The middle and largest anatomical zone of the adrenal cortex.

Zona Reticularis

The innermost layer of the adrenal cortex, situated adjacent to the adrenal medulla.

Adrenal Medulla

The inner core region of the adrenal gland surrounded by the adrenal cortex.

Duodenum

The initial segment of the small intestine located on the right side of the abdomen where the stomach and biliary tree empty their contents.

Kidneys (Anatomical Position)

Paired retroperitoneal organs located in the most dorsal abdomen caudal to the liver, with the right kidney positioned more cranially than the left.