In this chapter we describe the anatomy of the multilobed liver of the rat and mouse.
Traditional gross anatomy divides the liver into four lobes: the middle, left lateral, right lateral
and caudate, as well as the caudate process, which is found between the two aforementioned latter
lobes. The study of the hepatic hilum with the operating microscopy makes it possible to observe
that each of the four hepatic lobes and the caudate process have arterial and portal vascularization
as well as individualized biliary drainage. By microdissection, the most frequent variations that
these vascular and biliary structures present can be detected in the hepatic hilum. In addition,
obtaining vascular casts allows for the study of the anatomical distribution of the hepatic venous
system.
