Liver: functional anatomy and blood supply

The liver lies in the right hypochondrium and drains all the blood from the gastrointestinal tract, including insulin and glucagon secreted by the pancreas. Most of its blood supply comes via the portal vein and the rest via the hepatic artery. It undertakes a large number of metabolic functions but its structure is remarkably homogeneous consisting of hepatocytes and macrophages (Kupffer cells). It also secretes bile. Hepatocytes are arranged into lobules and there is a huge area of contact between these cells and the blood. Blood flows centripetally in the lobule to the hepatic vein and bile synthesized by the hepatocytes flows centrifugally to the bile cannaliculi. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.