Cambridge O Level Biology · Syllabus 5090 · Human Nutrition
Hepatic Portal Vein
What is Hepatic Portal Vein?
The blood vessel that carries most of the molecules and ions absorbed in the ileum directly from the capillaries of the small intestine to the liver. It is unusual among veins because it begins in one capillary network and ends in another rather than returning blood to the heart.
This definition is part of the Human Nutrition chapter in Cambridge O Level Biology.
Common mistakes with Hepatic Portal Vein
- “The hepatic portal vein carries food from the stomach to the liver.” Why it is wrong Two errors. It carries blood, containing absorbed molecules and ions, not food; and it starts at the capillaries of the ileum, not the stomach. Write instead "The hepatic portal vein carries most of the molecules and ions absorbed in the ileum to the liver."
Questions students ask about Hepatic Portal Vein
What does the hepatic portal vein carry, and where?
It carries most of the molecules and ions absorbed in the ileum — glucose, amino acids, mineral ions and water — in blood, from the capillaries of the small intestine directly to the liver. It is unusual among veins because it runs from one capillary network to another instead of returning blood to the heart. The products of lipid digestion are the exception: they enter the lacteals and travel through the lymphatic system, joining the blood later.