Functions of the liver Flashcards
What is the livers function in glucose storage?
The liver stores glucose as glycogen.
The conversion of glucose to glycogen is stimulated by insulin.
Glycogen is an energy store that is released when blood sugar falls.
What is albumin?
A transporter for many molecules and also helps maintain reabsorption of fluid from tissues into the blood. Lack of albumin causes oedema.
What blood proteins does the liver synthesise?
Most blood proteins and lipoproteins that act as transporters (except antibodies), the most abundant of which is albumin. It also synthesises proteins that act as clotting factors in the blood.
What else is synthesised in the liver?
Cholesterol, its used directly in cell membranes or converted into sex-hormones. Excess cholesterol is secreted in the bile.
What are bile salts?
Detergents that emulsify fats in the intestines, increasing their surface area and facilitating their absorption.
The liver stores fat-soluble vitamins, what are the fat-soluble vitamins?
Vitamins A,D,E and K. They can be stored in fat reserves around the liver, around organs or under the skin.
Why are fat-soluble vitamins useful?
If vitamins are removed from the diet, the human body can utilise its stores.
What do liver enzymes do?
They metabolise many pharmacological and recreational drugs, the by-products of which are excreted in the bile or released into the blood and excreted by the kidneys.
What does the liver metabolise the toxic by-product ammonia into?
Urea, which is released into the blood and excreted by the kidneys.
Why does the liver modify bilirubin?
So that it can be excreted in the bile.
Why does bile have an alkaline pH?
It has a large bicarbonate content.
