The middle colic artery is the first of the three branches from the right side of the main trunk of the superior mesenteric artery (Fig. 4.127). Arising as the superior mesenteric artery emerges from beneath the pancreas, the middle colic artery enters the transverse mesocolon and divides into right and left branches. The right branch anastomoses with the right colic artery while the left branch anastomoses with the left colic artery, which is a branch of the inferior mesenteric artery.