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Microanatomy of the human liver—exploring the hidden interfaces
Author(s) -
Saxena Romil,
Theise Neil D.,
Crawford James M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.510300607
Subject(s) - medicine , medical laboratory , library science , pathology , computer science
The functional unit of an organ may be defined as the smallest, structurally distinct, ‘‘self-sufficient’’ unit that can independently subserve all known functions of that organ. The nephron is exemplary of such a concept, for it is both a well-defined functional and structural unit. A similar hepatic unit that can reconcile the dual vascular supply and the dual outflow tracts (vascular and biliary) with all known liver functions has not been identified. This reflects the functional complexity of the liver and the sophistication of its microarchitectural interfaces. This review addresses the recent resurgence of investigation into the microanatomy of the liver, emphasizes studies in humans, and highlights the ‘‘grey’’ zones in our existing knowledge.