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BL > BL S8 The Liver > Flashcards

BL S8 The Liver Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 6 main functions of the liver?

A
  • Storage
  • Catabolism
  • Anabolism
  • Filtering
  • Endocrine
  • Exocrine
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2
Q

What does the liver store?

A

Iron
Vitamins A, D, K and B12.
Glycogen

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3
Q

What is the livers role in anabolism?

A

Produces:

  • Albumin and other plasma proteins
  • Glycogen
  • Coagulation factors
  • Haematopoiesis - in fetus but this function can be revived if bone marrow is failing.
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4
Q

What is the livers role in catabolism?

A

Breaks down:

  • Drugs via CYP450s
  • Posions vis CYP450s
  • Hormones
  • Haemoglobin
  • Can take over removal of aged or abnormal red blood cells post splenectomy.
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5
Q

How does the liver filter the blood?

A

Action of kuppfer cells.

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6
Q

What is the exocrine function of the liver?

A

Bile secretion - 1L per day.

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7
Q

What are the vast endocrine functions of the liver?

A

Produces:

  • Angiotensin - causes vasoconstriction and BP increase.
  • Thrombopoetin - glycoprotein - regulates platelet production.
  • Insulin-like growth factor - IGF-1.

Modifies:

  • Vitamin D to active form
  • Thyroxine to active from

Breaks down

  • Oestrogen
  • Progesterone
  • Glucagon
  • Insulin
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8
Q

What is thyroxine important in?

A 
Muscle control
Heart function
Digestive function 
Brain development 
Metabolism 
Bone health
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9
Q

What are some comparisons that can be made of hepatocytes to other cells?

A
  • Regenerate remarkably
  • More mitochondria
  • More peroxisomes - strong oxidising agents contained within.
  • More free ribosomes
  • More RER and SER
  • More Golgi complexes
  • Large glycogen deposits
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10
Q

What vein feeds blood to the liver?

A

Hepatic portal vein

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11
Q

What does the superior mesenteric vein drain?

A

Small intestine
Caecum
Transverse and ascending colon.

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12
Q

What does the splenic vein drain?

A

Spleen
Pancreas
Stomach

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13
Q

What does the splenic vein receive blood from?

A

Inferior mesenteric vein

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14
Q

What does the inferior mesenteric vein drain?

A

Rectum, sigmoid colon and descending colon.

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15
Q

What does the falciform ligament do?

A

It is a fold of peritoneum attaching the liber to the anterior abdominal wall and diaphragm.

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16
Q

What travels in the hepatic portal vein?

A
  • Water
  • Water soluble vitamins
  • Electrolytes
  • Carbohydrates - glucose, galactose, fructose etc.
  • Proteins - AAs - di/ tripeptides
  • Intestinal hormones - pancreatic hormones
  • Toxins ie ammonia.
17
Q

What does not travel in the hepatic portal vein?

A

Lipids.

Fat soluble vitamins - ADEK

18
Q

What are the main dietary lipids?

A

Triacylglycerols
Cholesterol
Phospholipids

19
Q

Why do lipases work in conjunction with bile?

A

Bile emulsifies lipids
Forms lipid droplets called micelles.
Increasing surface area for digestion by lipases.

20
Q

After lipids are digested by lipases what happens?

A

Taken into cells and processed into chylomicrons.

21
Q

What is a chylomicron?

A

A globular molecule made of triglyceride, embedded apolipoproteins and phospholipids.

22
Q

What is the function of a chylomicron?

A

Carry lipids from the intestine to adipose, cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue where they can be metabolised or stored.

23
Q

Where do chylomicrons travel?

A

In the lymphatics.

24
Q

Where are chylomicrons taken up?

A

Lacteals found in the villi of the small intestine.

25
Q

What is the milky fluid that drains from lacteals?

26
Q

What do lacteals drain into?

A

Abdominal lymphatics that drain into the thoracic duct, joins the venous System and the junction between the left jugular and subclavian veins.

27
Q

How do chylomicrons enter the liver?

A

Hepatic artery

28
Q

What is the space of disse aka the perisinusoidal space?

A

Space between a hepatocytes and the sinusoid.

29
Q

What is a sinusoid?

A

A small blood vessel that is a type of capillary similar to fenestrated endothelium.

30
Q

What continues a hepatic triad?

A

Hepatic artery, hepatic portal vein branch and bile duct

31
Q

What is a kuppfer cell and describe its function?

A

A kuppfer cell is a monocytes derived macrophage which forms part of the sinusoid lining.
Exposed to gut derived bacteria, microbial debris and bacterial endotoxins which it can phagocytose.
Also has a role in recycle old blood cells.
Migrates to sites of inflammation in the liver through fenestration in the endothelium of the sinusoids.

32
Q

What is the role of a stellate cell?

A

Have vacuoles/ lipid droplets storing vitamin A.
When liver becomes damaged they activate - losing their vitamin A storage capacityan differentiate into myofibroblasts - begin to secrete collagen form scar tissue.
Leads to liver fibrosis.

33
Q

What is the role of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension?

A

Deposition of scar tissue within the space of disse causes constriction in the space of Disse. Leads to portal hypertension.

BL (12 decks)

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