Functions of the liver

Question 1

general liver anatomy

Answer 1

right lobe
left lobe
coronary ligament
falciform ligament
ligamentum teres

Question 2

surrounding anatomy of the liver

Answer 2

gallbladder
common bile duct
duodenum
pancreas

Question 3

major vessels of the hepatic portal system

Answer 3

hepatic artery - branch of celiac trunk
portal vein - blood from small intestine from superior mesenteric vein, blood from large intestine from splenic vein via inferior mesenteric vein

Question 4

liver acinus

Answer 4

functional unit of the liver. allows liver to take up nutrients and particulates

Question 5

metabolism of the liver

Answer 5

glucose metabolism
bilirubin metabolism

Question 6

high blood glucose in liver

Answer 6

secretion of insulin
stimulates increased glycogen storage, and decreased gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis
results in glucose uptake/storage

Question 7

low blood glucose in liver

Answer 7

secretion of glucagon glucocorticoids
stimulates decreased glycogen storage, and increased gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis
results in glucose production

Question 8

high blood sugar in body

Answer 8

promotes insulin release by pancreas
insulin stimulates formation of glycogen by liver and glucose tissue uptake from blood
glucose turned into glycogen in liver
blood sugar lowers

Question 9

low blood sugar in body

Answer 9

promotes glucagon release by pancreas
glucagon stimulates breakdown of glycogen
glycogen turns into glucose in liver
raises blood sugar

Question 10

process of bilirubin metabolism

Answer 10

1 - extravascular or intravascular haemolysis results in unconjugated bilirubin and albumin in blood
2 - unconjugated bilirubin goes to hepatic sinusoid, transported with ligandin or Z protein
3 - unconjugated bilirubin is conjugated to glucuronic acid and moves to the hepatocyte
4 - from hepatocyte, conjugated bilirubin passes through biliary system to small intestine
5 - conjugated bilirubin turns into urobilinogen due to bacterial proteases
6 - 90% of urobilinogen is passed through faeces, remaining 10% travels through portal vein back to liver
7 - urobilinogen moves from liver to blood stream, then passed to kidney from where it is excreted in urine

Question 11

detoxification pathways of the liver

Answer 11

fat soluable toxins > step 1? > step 2? > waste products > eliminated from body via EITHER gallbladder > bile > bowel actions OR kidneys > urine

Question 12

routine liver function tests

Answer 12

lateral flow tests
bilirubin (anion transport) - assesses transport
aminotransferases - alanine ALT and aspartate AST - assesses hepatocyte damage
gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (Alk Phos) - assesses drug alone (impaired bile flow) and cholestasis
albumin - assesses protein synthesis
prothrombin time ratio - assesses protein synthesis

Question 13

jaundice

Answer 13

a symptom where shin and eyes become yellow
associated with accumulation of bilirubin in skin, most often caused by liver and gallbladder disorders

Question 14

common causes of bile duct blockage, resulting in cholestasis and jaundice

Answer 14

gallstones
tumours in head of pancreas
ampullary lesions

Question 15

key facts about liver

Answer 15

largest organ in body
biochemical lab of body
regulates blood sugar together with pancreas
major organ to detoxify various toxins in body
function can be tested by measuring certain blood compounds
liver function tests together with clinical examination can diagnose presence of liver disease