Gastroenterology Flashcards
Which structure is the remnant of the umbilical vein of the fetus?
Ligamentum Teres
Briefly outline the outflow and inflow of the liver
Inflow: Hepatic artery (25%), Portal vein (75%)
Outflow: Bile, 3 x Hepatic veins
What is the purpose of blood delivered to the liver by the Portal Vein?
Contains all of the products of digestion absorbed from the GI tract
So all useful and non-useful products are processed in the liver before being released back into the hepatic veins which join the IVC or stored in the liver for later use
What is the purpose of blood delivered to the liver by the Hepatic Artery?
Delivers oxygenated blood from the general circulation
What parts of the liver does the middle hepatic vein separate?
Anterior segment of the right hepatic lobe from the medial segment of the hepatic lobe.
How many hepatic segments are there?
8
List the micro-morphological and functional components of the liver.
Morphological - Lobules + Portal triads
Functional - Acinus, blood, and bile flow
What shape is a hepatic lobule and describe the structure of 1 hepatic lobule?
Hexagon - Each corner consists of a portal triad that links with 3 adjacent lobules. The center of the lobule is a central vein that collects blood from hepatic sinusoids. Within the lobule are rows of hepatocytes.
The center of the lobule is the central vein. Outline its drainage
Collects blood from the hepatic sinusoids → hepatic veins → systemic venous system
Within a lobule, there are rows of hepatocytes. What does each side of the row of hepatocytes face?
Each has a sinusoid-facing side → picks up stuff from the inflow of blood
Bile canaliculi facing side → Makes bile by taking nutrients, processing it, and shifting it across to the biliary canaliculi
What does a portal triad consist of? What is the function of each constituent?
Branch of hepatic artery -> Brings O2-rich blood into the liver to support hepatocytes’ increased energy demands.
Branch of portal vein -> Mixed venous blood from GIT (nutrients, bacteria, and toxins) and spleen (waste products). Hepatocytes process nutrients, detoxify the blood, and excrete waste.
Bile Duct -> Bile drains into bile canaliculi and then coalesce with cholangiocyte-lined bile-ducts around the lobule perimeter.
What type of cell are bile-ducts lined by and what is the function of this cell type?
Cholangiocytes. Their function is the modification of hepatic canalicular bile as it is transported along the biliary tree
Sinusoids are formed by the junction of what two vessels?
Branch of hepatic artery and branch of the portal vein
Through what vessels does blood flow through to get from the central vein to the right, left, or middle hepatic veins?
Central → Intralobular → Interlobular → Right, Middle or Left Hepatic Veins
What is the functional unit of the liver (in terms of micro-function) and what does it consist of?
Hepatic acinus. It consists of 2 adjacent 1/6th hepatic lobules sharing 2 portal triads. They extend into hepatic lobules as far as the central vein.
At what point does blood drain out of the hepatic acinus in the 3 zone model?
Point B (central vein)