Human cerebral arterial morphogenesis explored by 3D microscopic imaging of cleared embryos: Bridging the gap between embryonic and adult anatomy
Abstract
The anatomy of cerebral arteries impacts cerebrovascular diseases, their management, and their prognosis. Postnatal cerebrovascular anatomy can be understood only through detailed knowledge of the developmental events leading to mature cerebral vessels. Current knowledge about human embryology relies on data collected in the first half of the 20th century using traditional histological methods. In this study, we provide a narrative description of human embryonic cerebral arterial development based on whole‐mount immunostaining, tissue clearing, three‐dimensional (3D) light sheet microscopy imaging, and anatomically informed virtual segmentation of human embryos. The findings are compared with adult radiological anatomy explored by magnetic resonance imaging and 3D digital subtraction angiography. We provide a detailed account of the development of cerebral arteries including the circle of Willis and its major branches, the vertebrobasilar circulation, the ophthalmic artery, and related vessels. Explanations for several anatomical variants are provided. Pediatric and adult anatomy in the context of brain arteriovenous and vein of Galen malformations is compared with embryological data. Finally, we provide a direct comparison of embryonic and adult anatomical nomenclatures and clarify the identity of homonymous arterial segments. These data shed new light on both embryonic development of cerebral arteries and postnatal anatomy.
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BibTeX
@article{shotar2026human,
title = {{Human cerebral arterial morphogenesis explored by 3D microscopic imaging of cleared embryos: Bridging the gap between embryonic and adult anatomy}},
author = {Eimad Shotar and Raphael Blain and Aymeric Nadjem and N Saidi and Megumi Inoue and Daniel Smith‐paredes and Miccaella Vergara and Armelle Lesaunier and Quentin Rappeneau and Joséphine Blévinal and Gérard Couly and Julien Burel and Julien Allard and Kévin Premat and Stéphanie Lenck and Pierre-Marie Chiaroni and Erwah Kalsoum and Maryne Toupin and Séverine Mazaud-Guittot and Diane Rebourcet and Paolo Giacobini and Olivier Naggara and Hugo Gortais and Grégoire Boulouis and Alexis Guédon and Philippe Gailloud and Frederic Glicenstein and Anais Favre and Frédéric Clarençon and Yorick Gitton and Alain Chédotal},
journal = {Journal of Anatomy},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1111/joa.70224},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05752301v1},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Human cerebral arterial morphogenesis explored by 3D microscopic imaging of cleared embryos: Bridging the gap between embryonic and adult anatomy
AU - Eimad Shotar
AU - Raphael Blain
AU - Aymeric Nadjem
AU - N Saidi
AU - Megumi Inoue
AU - Daniel Smith‐paredes
AU - Miccaella Vergara
AU - Armelle Lesaunier
AU - Quentin Rappeneau
AU - Joséphine Blévinal
AU - Gérard Couly
AU - Julien Burel
AU - Julien Allard
AU - Kévin Premat
AU - Stéphanie Lenck
AU - Pierre-Marie Chiaroni
AU - Erwah Kalsoum
AU - Maryne Toupin
AU - Séverine Mazaud-Guittot
AU - Diane Rebourcet
AU - Paolo Giacobini
AU - Olivier Naggara
AU - Hugo Gortais
AU - Grégoire Boulouis
AU - Alexis Guédon
AU - Philippe Gailloud
AU - Frederic Glicenstein
AU - Anais Favre
AU - Frédéric Clarençon
AU - Yorick Gitton
AU - Alain Chédotal
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/16
JO - Journal of Anatomy
DO - 10.1111/joa.70224
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05752301v1
AB - The anatomy of cerebral arteries impacts cerebrovascular diseases, their management, and their prognosis. Postnatal cerebrovascular anatomy can be understood only through detailed knowledge of the developmental events leading to mature cerebral vessels. Current knowledge about human embryology relies on data collected in the first half of the 20th century using traditional histological methods. In this study, we provide a narrative description of human embryonic cerebral arterial development based on whole‐mount immunostaining, tissue clearing, three‐dimensional (3D) light sheet microscopy imaging, and anatomically informed virtual segmentation of human embryos. The findings are compared with adult radiological anatomy explored by magnetic resonance imaging and 3D digital subtraction angiography. We provide a detailed account of the development of cerebral arteries including the circle of Willis and its major branches, the vertebrobasilar circulation, the ophthalmic artery, and related vessels. Explanations for several anatomical variants are provided. Pediatric and adult anatomy in the context of brain arteriovenous and vein of Galen malformations is compared with embryological data. Finally, we provide a direct comparison of embryonic and adult anatomical nomenclatures and clarify the identity of homonymous arterial segments. These data shed new light on both embryonic development of cerebral arteries and postnatal anatomy.
SN - 0021-8782
SN - 1469-7580
ER -