What is the basic architecture of a hepatic lobule and the direction of blood flow?

What is the basic architecture of a hepatic lobule and the direction of blood flow?

• A. Blood from the portal triad flows through sinusoids toward the central vein; hepatocytes are arranged in plates with bile canaliculi between them.
• B. Blood from the central vein flows toward the portal triad; hepatocytes are arranged scattered without organized plates.
• C. Blood flows from the anterior surface into the posterior; hepatocytes lack bile canaliculi.
• D. Hepatocytes form a single layer with no flow through sinusoids.

Answer: (B)

Think of the hepatic lobule as a hexagonal unit with a central vein in the middle and portal triads at the corners. Blood travels from the portal triad into the liver tissue and moves through sinusoids toward the central vein. The hepatocytes are arranged in plate-like cords between these sinusoids. Between neighboring hepatocytes, bile canaliculi run and collect bile, draining it toward the bile ducts located in the portal triads. In short, blood moves from the outer edges toward the center, while bile moves in the opposite direction, from hepatocytes toward the bile ducts at the periphery.

Think of the hepatic lobule as a hexagonal unit with a central vein in the middle and portal triads at the corners. Blood travels from the portal triad into the liver tissue and moves through sinusoids toward the central vein. The hepatocytes are arranged in plate-like cords between these sinusoids. Between neighboring hepatocytes, bile canaliculi run and collect bile, draining it toward the bile ducts located in the portal triads. In short, blood moves from the outer edges toward the center, while bile moves in the opposite direction, from hepatocytes toward the bile ducts at the periphery.