Deep palmar arteries of monkeys, with special reference to the palmar metacarpal arteries.

The palmar metacarpal arteries in monkey hands were studied. The palmar metacarpal arteries arose from the deep palmar arch or catella palmaris proximalis and descended in the deep palm, forming the catella palmaris distalis at the distal end of the metacarpus. The palmar metacarpal arteries could be classified into four kinds in relation to the interosseous muscles and metacarpal bones: (i) the superficial palmar metacarpal (sM) arteries descending on the palmar surfaces of the interosseous muscles along the metacarpal bones, (ii) the superficial palmar intermetacarpal (sI) arteries descending on the palmar surfaces of the interosseous muscles along the intermetacarpal spaces, (iii) the deep palmar metacarpal (dM) arteries descending deep in the interosseous muscles along the metacarpal bones, and (iv) the deep palmar intermetacarpal (dI) arteries descending deep in the interosseous muscles along the intermetacarpal spaces. These findings largely coincide with those obtained from studies of the human hand by Murakami (1969).