48. Endocrine system. Suprarenal gland. Embryonic development. Macroscopic, microscopic, ultra-microscopic and functional characteristics. Blood and nerve supply. APUD – system.

SUPRARENAL GLAND

• Also known as Adrenal gland.
• Paired Retroperitoneal organ.
• Located on the upper poles of the kidneys at the level of TII-TI2.
• The right adrenal gland is triangular in shape, and the left is semilunar.
• The right is situated more caudally than the left one.
• Weight ~ 4.2 - 5 g.

Vasculation:

Arterial blood supply:

• 1 Superior adrenal/suprarenal artery – from the inferior phrenic artery
• 2 Middle adrenal/suprarenal artery – from the abdominal aorta
• 3 Inferior adrenal/suprarenal artery – from the renal artery

Venous drainage: – suprarenal veins (on the right side into the inferior vena cava, on the left into the left renal vein)

Lymphatic drainage: lumbar nodes and posterior mediastinal nodes

Sympathetic and parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, sensory: – adrenal/suprarenal plexus

Syntopy:

• 1 Cranially: diaphragm, subhepatic space
• 2 Caudally: upper pole of the kidney
• 3 Ventrally on the right side: liver
• 4 Ventrally on the left side: stomach
• 5 Ventrally on both sides: prerenal layer of the renal fascia, perirenal fat capsule
• 6 Dorsally: perirenal fat capsule, retrorenal layer of the renal fascia, pararenal fat body, diaphragm, costodiaphragmatic recess
• 7 Medially on the right side: inferior vena cava
• 8 Medially on the left side: abdominal aorta
• 9 Laterally: pararenal fat body