Portal Triad

[ Back ] [ portal triad ] [ hepatocytes ] [ central vein ]

A portal triad may consist of more than one of each of the structures that make up the triad. The branches of the hepatic artery bring nutritional blood to the liver. This is the blood that brings oxygen and nutrients to the cells. The branches of the portal vein bring functional blood to the liver. This is the blood coming from the digestive tract, which the hepatocytes function to detoxify. The blood from both the branches of the hepatic artery and the portal vein flows from the portal region to the central vein. Bile is a product of the hepatocytes and functions to emulsify fat in the digestive system. It flows from the hepatocytes, within canaliculi, in the opposite direction of the blood flow to the interlobular bile ducts. These small bile ducts coalesce to form hepatic ducts.