part of part of embryo vein cardinal vein UMLS:C0231085 EHDAA:1310 AAO:0011022 current we conflate the cardinal vein and cardinal vein system Any of the four veins in the developing vertebrate embryo which run along each side of the vertebral column. In primitive vertebrates, the basic early embryonic pattern is retained, and blood from anterior and posterior systemic tissues is returned in anterior and posterior cardinal veins, both pairs of veins uniting in common cardinal veins near the heart. In derived vertebrates, the cardinals appear but usually persist only in the embryo, being functionally replaced by alternative adult vessels, the precava and postcava (anterior and posterior venae cavae).[well established][VHOG] NCIT:C34116 EHDAA2:0000213 BTO:0004385 cardinal vein system XAO:0000052 EMAPA:16354 cardinal sinus Cuvierian vein VHOG:0001197 SCTID:362860004 UBERON:0004344