Overview liver histology larger image Introduction Blood supply to the liver liver receives majority of blood supply (75%) from the hepatic portal vein that carries venous blood that is largely depleted of oxygen liver receives a lesser amount of blood supply (25%) from the hepatic artery, a branch of the celiac trunk, that carries oxygenated blood in the liver, branches of the hepatic portal vein and hepatic artery supply sinusoids that bathe hepatocytes and provide for exchange of substances between the blood and liver cells apical surfaces of hepatocytes face bile canaliculi basolateral surfaces of hepatocytes face sinusoids sinusoids empty into central veins, which empty into sublobular veins sublobular veins converge to form larger hepatic veins blood leaves liver by the hepatic veins that empty into the inferior vena cava (IVC) "irregular capillaries" sinusoids are lined by Kupffer cells and fenestrated endothelial cells (pores 100-200 nm in diameter) login to view 1 more bullet no basement membrane between endothelium and underlying hepatocytes these 2 structural modifications facilitates exchange of material in liver in perisinusoidal space (space of Disse) login to view 2 more bullets Liver acinus represents functional unit of hepatic parenchyma hepatocytes in each liver acinus are described as being arranged in 3 concentric elliptical zones zone I login to view 3 more bullets zone II login to view 1 more bullet zone III login to view 3 more bullets