The ascending palatine artery branches off from the facial artery. Its function is to supply oxygenated blood to the palatine tonsil (tonsilla palatina) as well as the soft palate (pallatum molle) and the palatine glands (glandulae palatinae).
What is the ascending palatine artery?
The ascending palatine artery is a branch of the facial artery. This belongs to the systemic circulation of the human body. The ascending palatine artery runs inside the human head and is named the ascending palatine artery because it extends to this area of the oral cavity. Prior to this, it follows the course of the pharynx. The arterial counterpart to the ascending palatine artery is the descending palatine artery. It originates in the maxillary artery or maxillary artery and belongs to its pterygopalatal branches (pars pterygopalatina). The blood of the ascending palatine artery is relatively rich in oxygen because it comes from the lungs. There, oxygen molecules attach to the red blood cells (erythrocytes) and travel to various tissues and organs through the various vessels of the great circulation. The oxygen-depleted blood then flows back to the lungs via veins.
Anatomy and structure
The ascending palatine artery originates in the facial artery. It represents the first of the facialis branches and is one of the cervical branches. Other arteries that also originate from the facial artery and belong to this group are the ramus tonsillaris (palatine tonsil branch), the ramus glandulares (salivary gland branch), the arteria submentalis (subchin artery), and the rami musculares (muscular branches). In addition, the facial artery has five facial branches. After branching from the facial artery, the ascending palatine artery extends to and follows the pharynx. As it does so, the arterial blood splits into the two branches of the artery. From the soft palate elevator (Musculus levator veli palatini), one of the branches passes through the superior pharyngeal constrictor (Musculus constrictor pharyngis superior) and reaches the tonsil (Tonsilla palatina). The other branch also begins at the soft palate elevator, but then extends through the superior pharyngeal lacerator to the soft palate (pallatum molle). Thereafter, the ascending palatine artery and the descending palatine artery join in what is called an anastomosis.
Function and tasks
With its two branches, the ascending palatine artery supplies the palatine tonsil (tonsilla palatina) and the soft palate (pallatum molle) as well as the palatine salivary glands (glandulae palatinae). The palatine tonsil is an anatomical structure of the oral cavity located in the tonsillar fossa. The palatine tonsil forms an organ of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system, in turn, is part of the immune system and as such is responsible for fighting pathogens. Within the lymphatic system, the palatine tonsil belongs to the secondary lymphatic organs. The soft palate embodies the posterior part of the palate, while anatomy also refers to the anterior region as the hard palate. The soft palate is composed of the soft palate (velum palatinum) and the uvula. Both the soft palate and the uvula have the task of preventing food from entering the nose when swallowing. They are also important for the formation of certain sounds. In addition to the ascending palatine artery, the descending palatine artery and the ascending pharyngeal artery are responsible for supplying blood to the palate. In addition, the palatine glands depend on oxygenated blood from the ascending palatine artery. The palatine glands or glandulae palatinae are located not only in the soft palate, but also in the posterior region of the hard palate. They produce a secretion that keeps the skin of the palate moist and contains enzymes that participate in the digestion of food. The palatine glands belong to the minor salivary glands – the three major salivary glands are the parotid gland (glandula parotidea), the submandibular gland (glandula submandibularis), and the sublingual gland (glandula sublingualis).
Diseases
Various vascular diseases can manifest in the ascending palatine artery. One example is aneurysm, in which the vessel wall of the artery overstretches. This creates a sac that causes the artery wall to thin.The increased instability of the blood vessel can lead to rupture of the artery. As a result, undersupply occurs in the tissues that rely on the oxygen-rich blood from the artery. In addition, blood clots can form within an aneurysm. Also known as thrombi, these clots are formed by the clotting properties of the blood and can develop without any noticeable symptoms. However, if such a thrombus becomes dislodged, it can become lodged in a thinner part of the artery and cause partial or complete occlusion. Medicine also refers to this occlusion as an embolism. In some cases, it is noticeable as a stabbing pain in the affected area. However, an embolism is not always due to a thrombus. Other potential causes include fat, undissolved gases, calcium, connective tissue and even foreign bodies entering the blood. External influences can also damage the ascending palatine artery, for example, in the context of fractures of the head and face, which typically involve multiple tissues. Causes of such fractures include accidents involving the head and interpersonal violence. To determine the extent of the damage, physicians often use imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, these examination methods show whether the brain is also affected.
