Figure 1

Schematic 3D representation of a complex acinus according to Rappaport. Three portal tracts diverge from one axis, made up of the bile duct, the hepatic arterial and portal venous branches. At the same time, several trabeculae or laminae hepatis that are two cells thick arise from these three portal spaces and are oriented towards the efferent veins (central veins). In the lower part of the drawing, the liver plates are covered by the sinusoidal endothelium and the space of Disse located between both structures contains tissue fluid, which flows outwards into the lymphatics of the portal zones. The space of Disse continues with the portal space, and they both make up the interstitial space of the acinus.