682 THE LIVER. 



more advanced stages of development of the liver an atrophy of 

 the tissue had taken place. Such formations are found at the free 

 border of the left lobe, in the neighborhood of the portal vein, 

 near its entrance into the porta, and in the connective tissue 

 surrounding the gall-bladder. These bile-ducts in some parts 

 show very wide calibers, and in others are in the process of oblit- 

 eration and transformation into connective tissue. 



The interstitial connective tissue is more abundant the nearer 

 it is situated to the porta of the liver; it is in direct connection 

 with the connective-tissue layer of the peritoneum, which, in this 



FIG. 302. BILE-CAPILLARIES, UNITING INTO BILE-DUCTS. 

 INJECTED LIVER OF A CAT. 



G, interstitial connective tissue; JP, portal vein, brandling into capillaries. C ; BC, bile- 

 capillaries ; BD, bile-duct. Magnified 1000 diameters. 



locality, bears the superfluous name of Glisson's capsule. In it 

 we meet with large veins, all of which are necessarily portal ; 

 with arteries, viz. : the branches of the hepatic artery, and 

 with capillaries and lymphatics. We find transverse and longi- 

 tudinal sections where the union of the smaller with the larger 

 ducts takes place. The smaller ducts often lack a distinct bore, evi- 

 dently from being compressed; while the larger ducts, having a 

 distinct lining of columnar epithelia, always exhibit a distinct 

 circular caliber. (See Fig. 303.) 



