We examined 27 resin casts of foetal liver veins and found three types of connection between portal vein and portal sinus. The most frequent connection was endo–lateral (66.7%), when the end of the portal vein joins with the lateral wall of the portal sinus. The next type was latero–lateral (14.8%). In this type, the lateral walls of the portal sinus and the portal vein join together. The last type was latero–lateral through short vessel (18.5%), which resembles the previous one, but there is short vessel between the lateral walls of the portal vein and sinus.
Lead, cadmium, zinc, manganese, chromium, cobalt, copper, and molybdenum concentrations were measured in 50 samples of placenta tissues. The samples came from Tychy in the Upper Silesian Industrial District (Poland), where the population is exposed to enormously increased levels of heavy metals. GFAAS technique was used. Various methods of ashing samples were examined. Wet ashing under pressure in the teflon bomb at 110°C with HNO, and wet ashing under normal pressure with HN03 + H202 are considered to be the best ones. Mean concentrations of metals in the placenta were determined. Coexistence of increased levels of various metals was checked. Concentration of heavy metals in the samples coming from the polluted industrial territory is higher than in those collected in cleaner regions.