The umbilical vein runs from the umbilicus to which hepatic structure?

Study liver anatomy and function with our medical students test. Engage with detailed multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your test!

The umbilical vein delivers oxygen-rich blood from the placenta into the fetal liver and largely enters the left portal vein to feed the hepatic sinusoids via the portal venous system. While some blood can bypass the liver through the ductus venosus into the IVC, the hepatic structure that the umbilical vein runs to is the left portal vein. This connection helps explain why the left portal vein is the fetal recipient of the umbilical venous flow, whereas the IVC and hepatic veins are downstream drainage pathways, and the right portal vein is simply another branch of the portal system.