ANAT2241 Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas

ANAT2241 This practical support page content is not part of the virtual science practical class and provides additional information for student self-directed learning purposes. All practical class pages are located on Moodle - ANAT2241

Introduction

Portal Triad

Liver cellular structure cartoon

This section of notes gives an overview mainly of adult liver histology, see also Liver Development notes.

Liver Structure

Liver Histology: Central vein (label) | Central vein (unlabel) | Portal triad 1 (label) | Portal triad 2 (label) | Portal triad (unlabel) | Hepatocytes (unlabel) | Hepatocytes polyploid (label) | Liver - reticular connective tissue (LP) | Liver - reticular connective tissue (HP) | Liver - fetal (HP) | Liver - fetal (HP) | Liver Development | GIT Histology

Liver Lobule

This looped animation shows the different ways of interpreting the cellular structure of the liver lobule.

Liver Blood Flow

Dual blood supply of the liver merges upon entry into the liver lobule at the portal field. branches of the portal vein branches of the hepatic artery

Hepatocytes

These are the adult functional cells forming the majority of the liver (80% of the cells). Many different functions including: Storage of substances including glucose (as glycogen), vitamin A (possibly in specialized adipocytes), vitamin B12, folic acid and iron. Lipid Turnover synthesis of plasmalipoproteins Plasma Protein Synthesis albumin, alpha and beta globulins, prothrombin, fibrinogen Metabolism fat soluble compounds (drugs, insecticides), steroid hormones turnover Secretion bile (about 1 litre/day)

Histology Images

Development Histology

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  Histology - embryonic liver (week 8)

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  Histology - embryonic liver (week 8)

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  Histology - fetal liver HEx40

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  Histology - fetal liver x100

Adult Histology

Liver Histology: Central vein (label) | Central vein (unlabel) | Portal triad 1 (label) | Portal triad 2 (label) | Portal triad (unlabel) | Hepatocytes (unlabel) | Hepatocytes polyploid (label) | Liver - reticular connective tissue (LP) | Liver - reticular connective tissue (HP) | Liver - fetal (HP) | Liver - fetal (HP) | Liver Development | GIT Histology

Unlabeled Large Images

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  Human liver showing central vein

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  Portal triad

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  Portal triad

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  Hepatocytes

Hepatocyte Polyploidy

Human hepatocytes

Mouse hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo

Liver Histology - Electron Micrograph

The electron micrographs below show the cellular, vascular and bilary organisation of the liver.

Gall Bladder

Gall bladder wall

Anatomy

• Pear-shaped
• distensible sac (about 50ml volume)
• Attached to posterioinferior surface of liver
• Embryonic - foregut, forms from primitive bile duct
• leads to cystic duct
  • Liver -> hepatic duct
  • Gall bladder -> cystic duct
  • Common Bile duct

Macroscopic Mucosal features:

• Mucosa (epithelium + lamina propria)
  • Mucosal folds
  • Rokintansky-Aschoff sinuses
• Serosa/Adventitia (dense CT + visceral mesothelium)

Epithelium

• Columnar epithelium with microvilli (absorptive epithelium)
  • Epithelium lining the biliary system does not contain mucus-producing cells (few located in neck of gall bladder)
• Basement membrane (not basal lamina which forms part of basement membrane and only visible by EM)

Lamina Propria

• connective tissue
• collagen fibers and fibroblasts
• fenestrated capillaries and venules
• lymphocytes and plasma cells

Smooth Muscle Layer

• random orientation of smooth muscle cells (fibers)
• muscularis propria (or fibromuscular coat)
  • not like the rest of GIT smooth muscle organisation, which is divided into muscularis mucosa (inside submucosa), muscularis externa (circular and longitudinal)
  • various terminology used for this layer in different sources

Serosa/Adventitia

• Dense connective tissue layer covered with visceral mesothelium epithelial layer
  • Adventitia - where it is attached to the liver
  • Serosa - where it is free in the peritoneum
• Large blood vessels (arteries, veins)
• Obvious lymphatic vessels
• Autonomic nerve bundles
• Adipose tissue

Histology

See also Animated labeled image

Terms

• Glisson's capsule (Glisson's sheath) - a collagenous capsule covering the external surface of the liver the outer layer comprising a single layer of mesothelial cells. The capsule also extends into the liver as "sheaths" around the hepatic ducts, hepatic arteries and portal tributaries. Named after Francis Glisson (1599 – 1677) a British anatomist.
• Kupffer cells - liver macrophage located in sinusoidal space. Named after Karl Wilhelm von Kupffer (1829 - 1902 ) a German anatomist.
• sinusoids (vascular sinusoids, liver sinusoids) - the spaces between the hepatocytes that are distensible vascular channels lined with fenestrated endothelial cells forming a discontinuous simple squamous epithelium.
• stellate cells (Ito cells) - Named after Toshio Ito, a twentieth century Japanese physician PMID 11450594

External Links

External Links Notice - The dynamic nature of the internet may mean that some of these listed links may no longer function. If the link no longer works search the web with the link text or name. Links to any external commercial sites are provided for information purposes only and should never be considered an endorsement. UNSW Embryology is provided as an educational resource with no clinical information or commercial affiliation.

• Blue Histology Liver
• UNSW Virtual Slides Medicine phase 1 Health Maintenance B Hepatobiliary System 1 Practical (requires login for access).
• UIOWA Virtual Slidebox of Histology Liver and biliary system

Course Links

Moodle - ANAT2241 - 2019

Histology Glossary: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ANAT2241 Support | Histology | Histology Stains | Embryology Glossary

Common Histology Stains
Histology Stains - Common Stains and Their Reactions Stain Nucleus Cytoplasm Collagen RBCs Other Haematoxylin blue - - - mucins - light blue Eosin - pink pale pink bright red colloid - pinkmuscle - red Iron Haematoxylin blue/black - - - Van Gieson - brown/yellow red yellow muscle: yellow/browncartilage - pink Verhoeff's Elastin black - - - elastic fibres - black Tartrazine - yellow yellow yellow Silver Impregnation - - grey/brown - reticular fibres - black Methyl Green dark green light green light green green Nuclear Fast Red red pink pink pink Gomori's Trichrome purple/red purple green red keratin - redmuscle - purple/red Heidenhain's Azan red purple/red deep blue red muscle - red Osmium Tetroxide - - brown brown myelin, lipids - black Alcian Blue - - - - mucins, - blue Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) - - pink - mucins, glycogen, glycocalyx - magenta Phosphotungstic Acid-Hematoxylin (PTAH) blue - red blue muscle bands - blue Masson's Trichrome blue/black red green/blue red cartilage, mucins - blue or green; muscle - red Luxol Fast Blue - - - variable myelin - blue Aldehyde Fuchsin - - - - elastic fibres, mast cells - deep purple Light Green - - light green - Gallocyanin dark blue - - - nucleic acids, Nissl granules - dark blue Romanowsky (e.g. Leishman's) blue pink acidophils - red, basophils - blue, azurophilic - purple Aldehyde Pararosanilin elastic fibres - purple
Haematoxylin and Eosin One of the most common staining techniques in pathology and histology. Acronym "H and E" stain. (H&E, HE). Haematoxylin Stains nuclei blue to dark-blue. Stains the matrix of hyaline cartilage, myxomatous, and mucoid material pale blue. Stains myelin weakly but is not noticeable if combined with eosin stain. combined with Orange G (H & Or. G.) instead of eosin, specifically stains the granules of acidophilic cells of the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary). Eosin Stains cytoplasm pink to red; red blood cells are also bright red. Common counterstain to hematoxylin. Stain intensity varies with the formula as well as the fixative.

Practical Support

Pages can be accessed from any internet connected computer.

ANAT2241 Support Links: The Virtual Microscope | Covering and Lining Epithelia | Glandular Epithelia | CT Components | CT Types | Bone, Bone Formation and Joints | Muscle | Nervous | Blood | Eye | Cardiovascular | Respiratory | Integumentary | Gastrointestinal | Gastrointestinal Organs | Lymphatic and Immune | Endocrine | Urinary | Female Reproductive | Male Reproductive | Histology Stains | Histology Drawings | Practicals Health and Safety 2013 | Moodle - 2019

ANAT2241 This practical support page content is not part of the science practical class and provides only background information for student self-directed learning purposes.

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2026, October 5) Embryology ANAT2241 Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/ANAT2241_Liver,_Gallbladder,_and_Pancreas

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© Dr Mark Hill 2026, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G