Final answer:
A blood clot in the hepatic portal vein would lodge in the liver's capillary bed, which is the next capillary network it encounters.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a blood clot forms in the hepatic portal vein, it would lodge in the next capillary bed that it encounters which would be within the liver. The hepatic portal vein carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract, spleen, and other digestive organs directly to the liver. This blood is rich in nutrients as well as waste products that need to be processed. Once in the liver, the blood enters specialized capillaries known as hepatic sinusoids. Considering that the hepatic portal system begins and ends in capillaries, and this system specifically directs blood to the liver for filtering and processing, a clot in the hepatic portal vein would consequently end up in the liver and not proceed to the brain, kidney, or lungs.