178 NORMAL HISTOLOGY. 



The central vein traverses the axis of the lobule, enlarging as it proceeds, 

 to the base, as the side of the lobule through which the vein escapes is termed. 

 The central vein begins usually about midway between the base and the 

 opposite border of the lobule and is formed by the confluence of the capillary 

 tributaries. Immediately on emerging from the lobule, the central vessel 

 opens into a sublobular vein, which runs, in a general way, at right angles 

 to its intralobular tributaries and along and beneath the bases of the lobules. 



FIG. 221. Section of uninjected liver, showing the general arrangement of the lobules, interlobular and 



intralobular vessels. X 120. 



The sublobular veins are thus surrounded by the bases of the lobules, a 

 single central vein returning the blood from each. The sublobular veins 

 join to form larger trunks, which in turn unite and constitute the branches of 

 the hepatic veins, the large venous channels, commonly several, that carry 

 the blood from the liver into the inferior vena cava. 



The Liver-Cells. The meshes of the interlobular capillary network 

 are occupied by the hepatic cells, the bile-capillaries and a meagre amount 

 of delicate connective tissue. The liver-cells are arranged as cords or trabec- 



