ARTERIAL CANAL Meaning and
Definition
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Arterial canal is a term used in anatomy to describe a temporary blood vessel present in the developing embryo that provides a connection between two major blood vessels - the aorta and the pulmonary artery. It is also referred to as the ductus arteriosus. This canal plays a crucial role in fetal circulation as it allows blood to bypass the lungs, which are inactive during fetal development.
During prenatal development, the fetus receives oxygenated blood from the placenta through the umbilical vein. This oxygenated blood is then delivered to the body through the aorta. However, since the lungs are not yet functioning, the arterial canal acts as a shunt, allowing most of the blood from the right ventricle to be directed towards the body rather than the lungs.
The arterial canal is located near the heart, specifically between the pulmonary artery and the aorta. At birth, with the first breath, the lungs begin functioning and expand, causing a decrease in pulmonary artery pressure. This change triggers the closure of the arterial canal, leading to the full separation of the systemic and pulmonary circulations. Consequently, blood flow to the lungs is now routed through the pulmonary artery to facilitate gas exchange.
Disorders or abnormalities in the development or closure of the arterial canal can lead to medical conditions such as patent ductus arteriosus, where the canal remains open after birth and causes abnormal blood flow between the aorta and pulmonary artery.
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A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for ARTERIAL CANAL
- arterial canil
- arterial canel
- arterial cancl
- arterial canad
- arterial canah
- arterial canan
- arterial canam
- a rterial canal
- ar terial canal
- art erial canal
- arte rial canal
- arter ial canal
- arteri al canal
- arteria l canal
- arterial c anal
- arterial ca nal
- arterial can al
- arterial cana l
Etymology of ARTERIAL CANAL
The word "arterial" and "canal" have separate etymologies.
The term "arterial" originates from the Latin word "arteria", which means "air tube" or "windpipe". In ancient Greek, it was known as "arteria", which referred to a blood vessel. The word was derived from the Greek word "aer", meaning "air" or "gas". The Greek understanding was that arteries carried air rather than blood. Over time, the meaning shifted, and "arterial" came to refer specifically to the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart.
On the other hand, the word "canal" came from the Latin word "canalis", meaning "pipe", "groove", or "channel". It was derived from the Latin word "canna", which means "reed" or "tube".
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