Facts about the liver

Question 1

Give 4 facts about the liver

Answer 1

1. The largest intestinal organ of the body
2. Huge reserve capacity
3. Regenerative
4. If critically damaged, multiple complications involve many body systems

Question 2

What % of resting Cardiac output flows through the liver?

Answer 2

30%

Question 3

What is the % of total blood volume held in the liver?

Answer 3

13%

Question 4

What is the % of disease removal possible from the liver, but would still function relatively normal?

Answer 4

70-80%

Question 5

To what % of its original size can a liver regenerate to?

Answer 5

5-10%

Question 6

What is the functioning unit of the liver?

Answer 6

Hepatocyte

Question 7

How are the hepatocytes arranged?

Answer 7

Hepatocytes are arranged in lobules

Question 8

What is the service network in the liver?

Answer 8

The portal Triad: Hepatic artery (30%), Hepatic Portal Vein (70%) supply the blood and a bile duct forms a biliary drainage system.

Question 9

What happens to the flow of blood in the liver?

Answer 9

From the Hepatic artery and the Hepatic portal vein, the blood flows into the SINUSOIDS, exposed to hepatocytes, then is drained by the hepatic veunles/veins, out of the liver.

Question 10

What are the special cells in the liver that phagocytose bacteria and cell debris?

Answer 10

Kupffer cells

Question 11

The liver is central to maintanence of homeostasis in the liver. What are all these functions?

Answer 11

Storage, Clearance, Filtration, Secretion, Excretion, Synthesis, Metabolism, Homeostasis

Question 12

How does the liver fulfill its function of Detoxification?

Answer 12

It destroys endogenous and exogenous substances (i.e. substances formed inside and outside of the body)
It destroys cellular debris and invading bacteria via the kupffer cells
It causes the deamination of amino acids
Involves the removal of Bilirubin (yellow substance) in bile
Also is involved in hormone deactivation