hepatic portal system
Quick Summary
The hepatic portal system is a specialized part of the systemic circulatory system that transports blood from the digestive organs to the liver before it returns to the heart. This system includes the portal vein, which carries oxygen-depleted blood from the stomach, intestines, spleen, gallbladder, and pancreas to the liver.12
Within the liver, this blood flows through sinusoids, where it is filtered to remove waste and bacteria. Nutrients are also added to or removed from the blood in the liver for storage. The liver receives blood from both the hepatic artery and the portal vein, with the portal vein supplying the majority of the blood. Blood exits the liver via the hepatic veins and then empties into the inferior vena cava. This unique pathway allows the liver to process substances absorbed from the digestive tract.21
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circulatory systemThe blood vesselsThey are called the hepatic (liver) and renal (kidneys) portal systems. The hepatic system is important because it collects blood from the intestine and passes it to the liver, the center for many chemical reactions concerned with the absorption of food into the body and the control of substances…
Read MoreThey are called the hepatic (liver) and renal (kidneys) portal systems. The hepatic system is important because it collects blood from the intestine and passes it to the liver, the center for many chemical reactions concerned with the absorption of food into the body and the control of substances…
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human cardiovascular systemInferior vena cava and its tributariesTwo or three short hepatic trunks empty into the inferior vena cava as it passes through the diaphragm.
Read MoreTwo or three short hepatic trunks empty into the inferior vena cava as it passes through the diaphragm.
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