The portal triad is a triangular or round area between three adjacent lobules. It consists of fibroconnective tissue, and contains interlobular veins, interlobular arteries, interlobular bile duct, and lymphatic vessels.

The interlobular bile ducts are formed of cuboidal or columnar epithelial cells. They connect intralobular bile canaliculi with the canal of Hering. The interlobular bile ducts ultimately empty bile into the common hepatic bile duct. In other words, the interlobular bile duct collects bile from the bile canaliculi within the lobule, then drains into the left and right hepatic ducts, and finally to the common bile duct.