9. Liver, Pancreas and Biliary Tree

Question 1

What are some vessels contained within the liver?

Answer 1

• Portal tract
• Portal veins
• Arteries
• Bile ducts
• Central vein

Question 2

How are hepatocytes arranged in the liver?

Answer 2

In cords with intervening sinusoids

Question 3

What is the liver divided into?

Answer 3

Classic lobules

Question 4

What are classic lobules?

Answer 4

A roughly hexagonal area drained by one central hepatic venule

Question 5

What is an alternate architecture of the liver?

Answer 5

The acinus

Question 6

What are acini?

Answer 6

Architectural concept based around the blood supply rather than drainage of the liver

Question 7

Are all hepatocytes equal?

Answer 7

No. Some will be more richly oxygenated than others.

Question 8

What are the 3 vessels of the portal triad?

Answer 8

• Bile duct
• Portal vein
• Hepatic artery

Question 9

What are hepatocytes?

Answer 9

Principle functional cells of the liver

Question 10

What characteristics do hepatocytes have? (8)

Answer 10

• Polyhedral epithelial cells
• Abundant mitochondria
• Large central spherical nuclei
• Prominent nucleoli
• May be binucleate
• Active Golgi apparatus
• Prominent endoplasmic reticulum
• Numerous peroxisomes

Question 11

What are the 3 important surfaces of a hepatocyte?

Answer 11

• Sinusoidal (70%)
• Canalicular (15%)
• Intercellular (15%)

Question 12

What is the importance of the sinusoidal surface of a hepatocyte?

Answer 12

Permits exchange of material with blood (Space of Disse)

Question 13

What is the importance of the canalicular surface of a hepatocyte?

Answer 13

Permits excretion of bile

Question 14

What are sinusoids?

Answer 14

Highly specialised blood vessels

Question 15

Name 3 characteristics of sinusoids.

Answer 15

• Thin discontinuous fenestrated endothelium
• No basement membrane
• Contains scattered Kupffer cells

Question 16

Describe the sequence of the intrahepatic biliary tree.

Answer 16

Canaliculi, bile ductules, trabecular ducts, bile ducts

Question 17

What is the epithelium of the intrahepatic biliary tree?

Answer 17

Simple cuboidal-to-columnar epithelium

Question 18

What are the 2 main functions of the gallbladder?

Answer 18

• Concentrates and stores bile
• Expels bile via common bile duct into duodenum

Question 19

What is the epithelia of the gallbladder?

Answer 19

Simple columnar epithelium

Question 20

What are some specialised characteristics of gallbladder mucosa?

Answer 20

• Microvilli
• Thrown into folds
• Adapted for water and salt absorption
• Connective tissue lamina propria

Question 21

What is the main function of the exocrine pancreas?

Answer 21

To synthesise and secrete enzymes and bicarbonate-rich fluid into the duodenum

Question 22

Describe the exocrine pancreas.

Answer 22

Poorly defined fibrous capsule with septa dividng glands into lobules with epithelial cells arranged in acini

Question 23

Describe acinar cells.

Answer 23

• Epithelial
• Pyramidal shape
• Basally rich in rER
• Apically contain zymogen granules

Question 24

What are the 4 types of exocrine pancreas ducts?

Answer 24

• Centroacinar cells
• Intercalated ducts
• Interlobular ducts
• Main pancreatic duct