Circulatory Function of the Liver

While the liver is technically part of the gastrointestinal system, it also plays an important role in blood circulation. The liver has been called the antechamber of the heart because it collects and processes all of the gastrointestinal blood through the portal vein and delivers it to the right side of the heart. The liver receives blood through two vascular systems, the portal vein and hepatic artery.