THE HEPATIC LOBULE 



325 



The hepatic cells occupy the meshes of the intralobular capil- 

 laries and are arranged in columns which radiate from the central 

 vein toward the periphery. The frequent anastomoses of the 

 capillaries as they approach the central vein produce great irregu- 

 larities in the arrangement and length of the cell columns. Each 



FIG. 268. A LOBULE OF THE PIG'S LIVER IN LONGITUDINAL SECTION, SHOWING THE 



RELATION OF THE CENTRAL AND SUBLOBULAR VEINS AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF 

 THE HEPATIC CELLS. 



a, sublobular vein ; J, capsule of Glisson. Hematein and eosin. Photo, x 68. 



column, however, reaches the periphery of the lobule after a more 

 or less tortuous course, and it is here that the secretory bile capil- 

 laries, which are found within the cell columns, become continu- 

 ous with the minute bile ducts of the portal canals. 



The bile capillaries occur as secretory canaliculi between the 

 opposed surfaces of the hepatic cells. They are thus found with- 



