Portal triad

A portal triad (also known as portal area) is a distinctive arrangement in the liver, consisting of the following four structures:

* hepatic artery
* hepatic portal vein
* bile duct
*lymphatic vessels

The misnomer "portal triad" traditionally has included only the first three structures, and was named before lymphatic vessels were discovered in the structure. It can refer both to the largest branch of each of these vessels running inside the hepatoduodenal ligament, and to the smaller branches of these vessels inside the liver.

In the smaller portal triads, the four vessels lie in a network of connective tissue and are surrounded on all sides by hepatocytes. The ring of hepatocytes abutting the connective tissue of the triad is called the limiting plate.

External links

* - "Liver, Gall Bladder, and Pancreas: liver; portal triad"
* "Portal Triad"
* [http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/VAn308/portal_triad11.htm Overview at vetmed.wsu.edu]