70 The Microscopie Structure ee 
organ,—the nerves and lymphatics always accompany the portal 
vein and hepatic artery. 
The vessels and the duct, after having entered the liver, divide 
and subdivide until their ultimate branches have become small 
enough to pass into capillary networks. 
The space between the branches of the vessels, &c., is occupied 
by the parenchyma of the liver, which consists of two capillary 
networks — perfectly independent of each other —the meshes of 
which are filled up by the hepatic cells, free nuclei, and granules. 
One of these networks originates in the ultimate branches of the 
portal vein and hepatic artery, and terminates in the smallest 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE LVIII. 
Fig. 1 represents the termination of the finest branches of the portal vein and 
hepatic artery in their capillary network, and the commencement of 
the finest branches of the hepatic duct in the network of “ biliary 
tubules.” On the left side the capillary network of the blood-vessels 
alone is represented ; on the right, its relationship to the network of 
biliary tubules, from which the finest branches of the hepatic duct 
arise, can be seen. a, intra-lobular branch of the portal vein; 6, intra- 
lobular branch of the hepatic artery,—both these vessels are seen to 
terminate in the same capillary network. c, intra-lobular branch of 
the hepatic duct,—its finest ramuscules are seen to arise in the network 
of biliary tubules. The latter, in order to distinguish them from 
the capillaries which carry the blood, have been shaded very dark. 
d, transversely oblique section of an intra-lobular hepatic vein, show- 
ing the manner in which it receives its capillaries; e, capillaries for 
the blood ; f, biliary tubules, or capillaries for the bile. The above 
drawing is a composition taken from four different specimens of sections 
of human liver. Magnified 90 diam. 
2.—Plexus of lymphatics in the capsule on the surface of the human liver: 
a, large lymphatic vessels, showing their characteristic sinuses, dilata- 
tions, and valves; }, portions of the network of biliary tubules, in which 
the finest lymphatic vessels are seen to arise; they are imbedded in a 
small portion of parenchyma which was left adhering to the capsule. 
Magnified 30 diam, 
3.—Small portion from the capsule of the “ portal vessels,” showing the anas- 
tomoses of the small branches of the portal vein and hepatic artery ; 
also the “hepatic glands” and the plexus formed by their ducts. 
a, branch of hepatic artery; 6, branch of portal vein; c, plexus of 
hepatic glands; d, capillary network of the blood-vessels surrounding a 
portion of the glands. Magnified 30 diam. 
4.—Diagramatic drawing, illustrating the relationship of the capillary network 
of blood-vessels, and that of the biliary tubules to thé hepatic cells. 
a, terminal branch of portal vein; 6, finest branches of the hepatic 
duct, arising in the network of biliary tubules; c, hepatic cells. The 
latter are seen to fill up the meshes of the network. 
5.—Lymphatics of the capsule on the surface of the liver of the sheep. There 
is a small portion of the parenchyma left in the preparation, holding a 
portion of the network of biliary tubules from which the lymphatics 
can be seen to arise. Magnified 30 diam. 
6.—a, a hepatic cell, partially torn with the needles of the ‘‘ microscopic dis- 
sector,” in order to examine its contents; the latter are seen to be 
drawn out in the form of filaments; 6 represents the same cell com- 
pletely torn. Magnified 180 diam. 
7.—A hepatic cell torn by a needle with a broken point. Magnified 180 diam. 
~~ 
~“ 
> 
