THE FACTORS DETERMINING THE DIRECTION OF THE CANAL FOR THE NUTRIENT ARTERY IN THE LONG BONES OF MAMMALS AND BIRDS

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Abstract
A detailed statistical study of the nutrient artery of the larger long bones. In man these canals are much more constant than in other animals. In many animals and occasionally in man variations or anomalies occur which can not be explained on the basis of existing hypotheses (which are discussed). The author suggests that growth processes within the limb arteries might ultimately determine the direction of the nutrient canal. The uniform interstitial growth of an artery lying paralled to a bone and supplying it with its nutrient artery is adequate to explain the occurrence of both typical and anomalous canals. A true profunda femoris artery lying paralled to the femur and supplying it with a nutrient artery is found only in man. Anomalous canals are extremely rare in the human femur but are common in other spp. It is therefore possible and indeed probable that the phylogenetic development in man of an artery having a constant direction in relation to the femur may be responsible for "fixing" the direction of the nutrient canal.

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