How the Liver Works

The parts of the liver and nearby organs

• Biliary tree. A network of tubes that carry bile out of the liver and into the gallbladder and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum).

• Bile ducts. Tubes between the liver and small intestine. Bile drains into them from the liver.

• Common bile duct. The duct from the liver (hepatic duct) and the duct from the gallbladder (cystic duct) meet to form the common bile duct. The common bile duct carries bile to the duodenum.

• Duodenum. The first part of the small intestine. When bile leaves the liver, it flows through the bile ducts into the duodenum. Here, bile starts mixing with food to help digest fat.

• Gallbladder. The organ that stores bile.

• Spleen. An organ that filters blood. It also helps keep your body healthy and free of infection as part of the immune system.

• Splenic vein. A blood vessel that carries blood from the spleen to the portal vein.

• Hepatic portal vein. A blood vessel that carries blood containing nutrients and oxygen from the digestive tract and spleen into the liver.

• Inferior vena cava. A large vein that carries blood from the liver, intestines, legs, and kidneys to the heart.

• Hepatic veins. Blood vessels that carry blood out of the liver to the inferior vena cava.

• Hepatic artery. A blood vessel that carries blood with a fresh supply of oxygen into the liver from the heart.

Blood flows through the liver

All the blood that flows from the intestines, stomach, and spleen is filtered through the liver. The blood flows into the liver through the hepatic portal vein. It filters through the liver in a system of smaller and smaller veins. As blood passes over liver cells, these cells process nutrients in the blood. This processing makes products like proteins and sugars that your body can use. Blood is carried out of the liver through the hepatic veins to the heart.