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The Relation Between Structure and Function of Bile Ducts in Man, Some Laboratory Animals and the Adelie Penguin
Author(s) -
Andrews C. J. H.,
Andrews W. H. H.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1979.sp002464
Subject(s) - relation (database) , function (biology) , zoology , biology , evolutionary biology , computer science , database
The biliary trees of man, dog, cat, rabbit, rat, guinea pig and penguin were examined in histological sections and by latex casts. The trees of man, dog and cat were similar with only minor differences. Tubulo‐alveolar glands were present in all three species around large intrahepatic ducts and in large portal tracts there were zones of ductules (areas with many small bile ducts), surrounded by small vessels with no apparent relation to hepatocytes. Both these features were present in the guinea pig and tubulo‐alveolar glands were present in the penguin liver. The biliary epithelium of the rat was comparatively simple but that of the rabbit appeared to be highly specialized. An estimation of the complexity of the biliary tree was obtained in the mammals by comparing the circumference of small portal venous branches with the circumference of the accompanying bile ducts, and obtaining a ratio. Man, dog and cat had fewer and smaller bile ducts than the other species. The literature on the rate of formation and composition of bile in the species studied here was reviewed and it appears that the physiology of bile secretion can be related to the morphology of the biliary tree.