21. Hepatobiliary Function Flashcards
Main functions of the liver
Bile production and secretion
Metabolism of carbs, proteins, and lipids
Bilirubin production and excretion
Detoxification of substances
Chronic liver disease in which normal liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis)
Cirrhosis
Most common cause of cirrhosis
Excessive alcohol intake
How does excess alcohol intake lead to cirrhosis?
Initial accumulation of fat within hepatocytes leads to steatohepatitis (fatty liver + inflammation) which leads to liver scarring and cirrhosis
Chronic disease that causes bile ducts in liver to become inflamed, damaged, and are eventually lost
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Most common cause of portal HTN
Cirrhosis
Portal HTN develops when there is increased _____ to portal blood flow, which most often occurs in the liver
Resistance
[this increase in resistance is because of loss of connections in parallel]
Complications of portal HTN in the setting of cirrhosis
Hepatic encephalopathy
Esophageal varices
Splenomegaly
Ascites
What changes in the starling forces cause ascites in the setting of cirrhosis?
Cirrhotic liver produces less albumin, thus reducing oncotic pressure
Increased portal pressure leads to increased hydrostatic pressure
Fluid begins leaving mesenteric capillaries into interstitial spaces
Bile is produced and secreted by the ___
Liver
Composition of bile
Bile salts (50%) Bile pigments like bilirubin (2%) Cholesterol (4%) Phospholipids, such as lecithin (40%) Ions Water
Primary function of bile
Solubilizes lipids that are naturally insoluble by forming micelles; vehicle for elimination of substances from the body
Formation of bile salts begins with primary bile acids, then secondary bile acids, then bile salts.
There are relative amounts of bile acids, which ones are most common?
Cholic acid > chenodeoxycholic acid > deoxycholic acid > lithocholic acid
Where are primary bile acids synthesized?
Hepatocytes
Where are secondary bile acids synthesized
Small intestine
Primary bile acids are synthesized in the liver from ________, catalyzed by the ______ enzyme to become cholic or chenodeoxycholic acid
Cholesterol; 7-alpha hydroxylase
Where are bile salts conjugated?
Liver
What is the primary hormonal mediator of bile secretion? What does it cause?
CCK
Causes contraction of gallbladder and relaxation of the sphincter of Oddi
Action of CCK is mediated through extrinsic _____ and intrinsic _____ nerves
_____ may antagonize CCKs actions
Vagal; cholinergic
Secretin
What effect do pancreatic polypeptide and somatostatin have on gallbladder contractility?
Decrease it
How does the parasympathetic nervous system affect bile secretion?
Stimulation via vagus nerve:
Increases bile flow
Induces contraction of gallbladder
[sympathetic system opposes these things]
What is the role of secretin in bile secretion from the liver?
After bile is secreted from the liver, secretin stimulates addition of ions and water, thus diluting the bile
After bile is released from the liver, where does it go? What does it do there?
Gallbladder, which concentrates the bile
CCK stimulates contraction of the gallbladder and relaxation of the sphincter of Oddi. Where does the bile that is released go from there?
Enters duodenum, travels through to ileum, and gets reabsorbed via portal circulation for recycling back to the liver
________ bile is secreted by ductule cells in response to the osmotic effects of anion transport
Newly synthesized and returning bile acids are secreted into the _________ as conjugated bili
Canalicular
Bile canaliculi
Although most bile transported through the small intestine is recycled, some is excreted in ______. The more that is lost, the _____ gets synthesized
Feces; more
[so fecal loss should equal hepatic synthesis of bile]