9. Liver, Gallbladder And Pancreas

Question 1

Function of liver

Answer 1

Store energy
Synthesise proteins
Deamination of amino acids
Production of urea
Synthesis of bile and bilirubin
Detoxification and drug inactivation

Question 2

Describe lobules

Answer 2

Polygonal lobules of hepatocytes drained by 1 venule. At the corners are branches of partial triad (hepatic artery, portal vein and bile duct)

Question 3

What about liver acini is different?

Answer 3

The have portal triad at centre instead
(Polyhedral cells with abundant mitochondria and central nucleoli)

Question 4

What are liver sinusoids?

Answer 4

Thin walled fenestrated capillaries interspersed with fixed macrophages on meshowrk of reticulin.
Separated from chords of heaptocytes by space of Disse

Question 5

Function of liver macrophage

Answer 5

= Kupffer cells
Phagocytoses blood borne pathogen
Produce bilirubin

(Uptakes coloured products so is blue on Peri’s stain)

Question 6

Hepatocyte ultrastructure

Answer 6

Canaliculi -> bile ductules -> trabecular ducts -> bile ducts

Question 7

Bilary tree

Answer 7

Simple cuboidal -> stratified columnar

Question 8

Gallbladder

Answer 8

Simple columnar with poor brush border on submucosa of loose fibrous connective tissue folds
Smooth muscle = muscularis propria

Question 9

Exocrine pancreas

Answer 9

90% serous band produces watery digestive enzyme and bicarbonate
(When stimulated by Secretin and CCK)

Question 10

Describe pancreatic acini

Answer 10

Pyramidal simple cuboidal becomes stratified
Contains zymogen granules
Centroacinar cells -> intercalated ducts -> interlobular ducts -> main pancreatic duct