Gastrointestinal Tract - Liver Histology

Embryology - 1 Dec 2023 Expand to Translate
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Introduction

Portal Triad

Liver cellular structure cartoon

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

Page also provides further background information for Medicine phase 1 Health Maintenance B Hepatobiliary System 1 Practical.

This page content is not part of the HMB practical class.

HMB: Pancreas Histology | Liver Histology | Gall Bladder Histology | Renal System Histology

Historic Embryology - Gastrointestinal Tract
1878 Alimentary Canal \| 1882 The Organs of the Inner Germ-Layer The Alimentary Tube with its Appended Organs \| 1884 Great omentum and transverse mesocolon \| 1902 Meckel's diverticulum \| 1902 The Organs of Digestion \| 1903 Submaxillary Gland \| 1906 Liver \| 1907 Development of the Digestive System \| 1907 Atlas \| 1907 23 Somite Embryo \| 1908 Liver \| 1908 Liver and Vascular \| 1910 Mucous membrane Oesophagus to Small Intestine \| 1910 Large intestine and Vermiform process \| 1911-13 Intestine and Peritoneum - Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 \| Part 5 \| Part 6 \| 1912 Digestive Tract \| 1912 Stomach \| 1914 Digestive Tract \| 1914 Intestines \| 1914 Rectum \| 1915 Pharynx \| 1915 Intestinal Rotation \| 1917 Entodermal Canal \| 1918 Anatomy \| 1921 Alimentary Tube \| 1932 Gall Bladder \| 1939 Alimentary Canal Looping \| 1940 Duodenum anomalies \| 2008 Liver \| 2016 GIT Notes \| Historic Disclaimer
Human Embryo: 1908 13-14 Somite Embryo \| 1921 Liver Suspensory Ligament \| 1926 22 Somite Embryo \| 1907 23 Somite Embryo \| 1937 25 Somite Embryo \| 1914 27 Somite Embryo \| 1914 Week 7 Embryo
Animal Development: 1913 Chicken \| 1951 Frog

Virtual Slides

Hepatobiliary System 1 (requires Moodle log-in)

Liver (pig)
Liver (human)
Liver (carbon injected)
Liver (reticular fibres)

Lab Audio

Wednesday 17 August 2011 3-4 pm G2G4.

Images

Liver Structure

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

Histology - embryonic liver (week 8)
Histology - embryonic liver (week 8)
Histology - fetal liver HEx40
Histology - fetal liver x100

Adult Histology

Unlabeled Large Images

Human liver showing central vein
Portal triad
Portal triad
Hepatocytes

Kupffer Cells and Reticular Fibres

Hepatocyte Polyploidy

Human hepatocytes

Mouse hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo^[1]

Liver Histology - Super Resolution

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestrations^[2]

Liver Histology - Electron Micrograph

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

References

↑ Duncan AW, Taylor MH, Hickey RD, Hanlon Newell AE, Lenzi ML, Olson SB, Finegold MJ & Grompe M. (2010). The ploidy conveyor of mature hepatocytes as a source of genetic variation. Nature , 467, 707-10. PMID: 20861837 DOI.
↑ Mönkemöller V, Øie C, Hübner W, Huser T & McCourt P. (2015). Multimodal super-resolution optical microscopy visualizes the close connection between membrane and the cytoskeleton in liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestrations. Sci Rep , 5, 16279. PMID: 26549018 DOI.

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

Glossary Links

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 | Numbers | Symbols | Term Link

Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2023, December 1) Embryology Gastrointestinal Tract - Liver Histology. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Gastrointestinal_Tract_-_Liver_Histology

What Links Here?

[PMID20861837-1] Duncan AW, Taylor MH, Hickey RD, Hanlon Newell AE, Lenzi ML, Olson SB, Finegold MJ & Grompe M. (2010). The ploidy conveyor of mature hepatocytes as a source of genetic variation. Nature , 467, 707-10. PMID: 20861837 DOI.

[PMID26549018-2] Mönkemöller V, Øie C, Hübner W, Huser T & McCourt P. (2015). Multimodal super-resolution optical microscopy visualizes the close connection between membrane and the cytoskeleton in liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestrations. Sci Rep , 5, 16279. PMID: 26549018 DOI.

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