Genicular artery (None (occasionally abbreviated as "GA" or "genicular aa.", but these are not standardized scientific terms))

The genicular arteries are a network of small arteries that surround and supply the knee joint, branching predominantly from the popliteal artery with some contributions from the femoral and other nearby vessels[1][2][3][4][5]. They play a vital role in delivering blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the cartilage, ligaments, and capsule of the knee, facilitating healing and managing inflammation after injury or in joint diseases[1]. The main branches include the superior medial, superior lateral, inferior medial, inferior lateral, and middle genicular arteries, which form extensive interconnections (anastomoses) around the knee, providing important collateral circulation[2][3][4]. Clinically, these vessels are important in surgical planning and as anatomical targets in procedures such as genicular artery embolization (GAE) for chronic knee pain, especially in osteoarthritis[5]. However, they are not molecular targets or classical receptors/proteins, but anatomic vascular structures[2][3][5][1].

Other names

Genicular arteriesArteriae genusKnee arterial networkGenicular vascular network

Embolization: mechanical occlusion (used in genicular artery embolization—targeting the vessel to reduce pain/inflammation, not a drug-protein mechanism)