ABSTRACT
The afferent circulation to the liver consists of the hepatic artery, which branches off the aorta, and the portal vein, which collects nutrient-rich blood from the venous circulation of the stomach, small and large intestine, pancreas, and spleen. The micro-circulation of the liver is composed of two afferents: the hepatic arterioles and terminal portal venules, sinusoids that are the equivalent of capillaries in the liver, and the effluent terminal hepatic venules. The terminal hepatic venules, also referred to as central venules, collect into hepatic veins that drain into the inferior vena cava.
