The collateral branches of the abdominal part of the aorta are
distributed chiefly to the walls and contents of the abdominal cavity,
but some branches are supplied to the spinal cord and its membranes, and
others extend into the pelvis and to the scrotum. The =visceral
branches= are the cœliac, anterior mesenteric, renal, posterior
mesenteric, and the spermatic or utero-ovarian. The =parietal branches=
are the lumbar arteries.
[Illustration: