Figure 2.

Schematic diagram of the micro-anatomy of the hepatic lymphatic vascular system. Blood flow (red arrows) from the portal vein (PV) and hepatic artery (HA) enters the liver. Plasma components are filtered through LSECs into the space of Disse, the interstitial space between LSECs and hepatocytes, and are regarded as the source of lymphatic fluid. Lymphatic fluid in the space of Disse mostly flows through the space of Mall, the space between the stroma of the portal tract and the outermost hepatocytes, into the interstitium of the portal tract and then into lymphatic capillaries (1). Some portion of the lymphatic fluid in the space of Disse flows into the interstitium around the central vein (2) or underneath the hepatic capsule (3).