264 



HUMAN EMBRYOLOGY AND MORPHOLOGY. 



The Ligaments of the Liver. — When the liver grows out 

 from the septum transversum it withdraws within the ventral 

 mesentery. Out of the ventral mesentery are formed all the 

 ligaments of the liver (Fig. 213 A). These are the following: 



1. The Gastro-hepatic Omentum is that part of the ventral 

 mesentery which passes from (1) the oesophagus, (2) lesser cur- 

 vature or ventral border of stomach, and (3) first stage of 

 duodenum to (1) the diaphragm, (2) the posterior part of the 

 longitudinal fissure of the liver, the ductus venosus lying 

 within its hepatic attachment, and (3) the transverse fissure of 

 the liver (Fig. 213 B). The portal and umbilical veins lie in the 

 ventral mesentery (Fig. 213^4); the hepatic artery passes by it 

 to the liver. The right or free border of the gastro-hepatic 

 omentum, with the falciform ligament containing the remnant 

 of the umbilical vein, represents the posterior border of the 

 primitive ventral mesentery (Fig. 213 A). 



2. The Falciform Ligament, containing the umbilical vein, also 

 represents part of the ventral mesentery (Fig. 213 A). At an 

 early stage the umbilical veins reached the sinus venosus by 

 passing through the septum transversum. The development of 

 the liver led to its being thrust out within the falciform ligament. 



3. The coronary, the right and left lateral ligaments, and the 

 attachments to the vena cava and diaphragm (Fig. 213 5) are 

 developed as the liver emerges from the septum transversum, 

 and separates itself from the diaphragm. 



Spigelian 



u. cau. caudate lobe 



left lot. lobs 



(ight lat. 

 lobe 



„l i caudate fis. 

 lig. teres ' miMe , QOe 



Fig. 214.— Diagram of a mammalian Liver viewed from behind and below. 



Morphology of the Liver.— The liver of orthograde animals 



