Liver anatomy in 3D
The liver, in the upper right of the abdomen under the ribs, is the largest internal organ. It processes and stores nutrients and makes bile, which collects in the gallbladder before passing into the small intestine. It lies just under the diaphragm, filling most of the upper right abdomen and reaching a little to the left. The falciform ligament on its front divides the right and left lobes, and the caudate and quadrate lobes lie on its underside. The portal vein and hepatic artery enter, and the hepatic ducts leave, at the porta hepatis in the middle of the underside.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the liver?
The liver, in the upper right of the abdomen under the ribs, is the largest internal organ.
What does the liver do?
It processes and stores nutrients and makes bile, which collects in the gallbladder before passing into the small intestine.
Which body system does the liver belong to?
The liver belongs to the digestive system. The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract running from mouth to anus (oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestine) and the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, which make digestive juices and send them into the tract.
How many lobes does the liver have?
Anatomically four: the large right and left lobes, and the caudate and quadrate lobes on the underside.
Parts of the liver
- Caudate lobe: A small lobe at the back of the liver.
- Gallbladder: A pouch under the liver that stores the bile the liver makes.
- Vessels and bile ducts: Branches of the portal vein, hepatic artery and hepatic veins inside the liver, and the bile ducts.
Other organs
Compare with neighbouring organs
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- Microplastics in the body: where they’ve been found, and what we still don’t know
Once the 3D model loads you can turn it and select each part.