332 THE LIVER 



lobular are easily distinguished from the interlobular veins by 

 their thicker walls and by the fact that the former pursue an 

 independent course through the tissue of Glisson's capsule, being 

 nowhere in relation with either artery or duct. 



The sublobular veins are, as a rule, vessels of considerable size, 

 and by frequent union with their fellows become constantly 

 larger. In their general direction they tend toward the dorsal 

 surface of the liver and finally make their exit as four or five large 

 hepatic veins which enter the inferior vena cava. 



FlG. 275. A SUBLOBULAR VEIN OF THE Fid's LIVER. 



a, capsule of Glisson between adjacent lobules. Hematein and eosin. Photo, x 60. 



The blood supply of the liver is peculiar in that: 1, the 

 greater portion of its blood has already passed through the capil- 

 laries of the digestive organs before entering the liver; 2, its 

 arterial supply is extremely insignificant, and supplies only the 

 connective tissue framework, intermingling with the portal blood 

 at the periphery of the lobule ; 3, its intralobular capillaries are 

 extremely abundant and are in intimate relation with the hepatic 

 cells, each cell coming into contact with four to six capillary vessels. 



