What is the primary role of the hepatic portal vein?

• A. Delivers oxygenated blood from the heart to the liver
• B. Drains nutrient-rich blood from GI tract to liver for processing
• C. Supplies arterial blood to the liver
• D. Drains bile from the liver to the gallbladder

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how digestion-derived blood reaches the liver for processing. The hepatic portal vein brings blood from the GI tract (and spleen) to the liver. This blood is rich in absorbed nutrients—as well as substances the liver needs to metabolize or detoxify—so the liver can process nutrients, store glucose as glycogen, and detoxify harmful compounds before the blood joins the general circulation. This pathway is distinct from the liver’s arterial supply, which provides oxygenated blood via the hepatic artery, and from bile drainage pathways that move bile toward the gallbladder. So, the hepatic portal vein’s key role is delivering nutrient-rich blood from the digestive organs to the liver for processing.