Hepatobiliary Function (Lopez) Flashcards
What are the main functions of the liver?
- bile production/secretion
- metabolism of carbs, proteins, lipids
- bilirubin production/excretion
- detox of substances
What two capillary beds does the hepatic portal system connect?
1) that of abd and pelvic parts of gut from abd part of esophagus to lower anal canal, together w/ the pancreas, gallbladder, and spleen
2) the hepatic sinusoidal ‘capillary’ bed
What are the metabolic liver functions?
- carbohydrate metabolism: gluconeogenesis, storage of glycogen, release of glucose
- protein metabolism: synthesis of nonessential AAs, modification of AAs for use in pathways for carbs, synthesis of almost all plasma protein (e.g. albumin, clotting factors) (liver failure can lead to hypoalbuminemia > edema), conversion of ammonia to urea
- lipid metabolism: FA oxidation, synthesis of lipoproteins, cholesterol, and phospholipids
- chronic liver dz where nml liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue
- excessive alcohol intake is common cause due it leading to accum of fat within hepatocytes > fatty liver > steatohepatitis (fatty liver w/ inflammation) > scarring of liver > this condition
- this condition can also lead to portal hypertension
cirrhosis
What is portal hypertension and what types of changes in venous circulation are a/w this condition?
- portal htn: can be caused by cirrhosis; develops when there is resistance in portal blood flow which most often occurs in liver; nml hepatic sinusoidal pressure is 3-5 mmHg, but is >5 mmHg in this condition
changes in venous circulation (see image):
- esophageal varices: swollen connection between systemic and portal systems at inferior end of esophagus
- caput medusae: swollen connections between systemic and portal systems around umbilicus
How can liver dz lead to hepatic encephalopathy?
- decreased hepatic urea cycle mblsm in context of liver cirrhosis or portosystemic shunting leads to accum of ammonia in systemic circ
- ammonia readily crossses BBB and alters brain function
What is the composition and function of bile?
- composition: bile salts (50%), bile pigments (2%, e.g. bilibrubin), cholesterol (4%), phospholipids (40%, e.g. lecithin), ions, H2O
- function: vehicle for elimination of substances from the body, solves insolubility problem of lipids
How are bild acids/salts generally formed and what is the purpose of converting bile acids to salts?
- primary bile acid synthesis (occurs in hepatocytes): cholesterol > (7α-hydroxylase) > cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid
- secondary bile acid synthesis (occurs in lumen of SI): cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid > (7α-dehydroxylase from intestinal bacteria) > deoxycholic acid (from CA) and lithocholic acid (from CDA)
- bile salt synthesis (occurs in liver): deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid > (via conjugation) > glycodeoxycholic acid, taurodeoxycholic acid (from DA) and glycolithocholic acid, taurolithocholic acid (from LA)
- purpose: bile salts form micelles w/ the products of lipid digestion (better at eliminating lipids)
What organs play a role in bile secretion?
- liver
- gallbladder/bile duct
- duodenum
- ileum
- portal circulation
What is the mechanism of bile secretion and absorption of bile salts?
1) synthesis and secretion of bile salts from liver into circ
2) bile salts are stored/conc in gallbladder (absorption of ions/H2O)
3) CCK-induced gallbladder contraction and sphincter of Oddi relaxation
(bile salts synthesized in the SI via bacterial enzymes)
4) absorption of bile salts into portal circulation
5) delivery of bile salts to liver
What is the mechanism of bile secretion out of the liver?
two mechanisms:
- almost all bile formation is drive by bile acids (bile acid-dependent)
- small portion of bile is stimulated by secretin and is secreted from the ducts (bile acid-independent or ductular secretion)
How does bile flow during periods of digestion?
- interdigestive period: gallbladder filled w/ bile and relaxed, sphincter of Oddi is closed
- upon eating (food in duodeum): CCK is released, causing contraction of gallbladder and relaxation of sphincter of Oddi
How are bile salts recirculated back to the liver?
via enterohepatic circulation
1) bile salts are transported from ileum to portal blood
2) bile salts brought back to liver
3) synthesis of bile salts to replace amount that was lostx
How is the reuptake of bile salts in hepatocytes facilitated?
uptake across the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes is mediated by 2 types of systems:
- Na+-dependent transport protein, sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP)
- Na+-independent transport protein, organic anion transport proteins (OATPs)
What type of transport recycles bile acids?
- both active and passive transport processes
- ileal transport is highly efficient, delivering >90% of bile acids to portal blood
- only small portion of bile acids (3-5%) are excreted into feces
Enterohepatic circulation of bile acids: big picture
How is bile acid synthesis and secretion regulated?
- increased bile secretion normally increases rate of return of bile acids to liver via portal blood, which exerts a negative feedback on synthesis (cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase is inhibited by bile salts)
- interruption of enterohepatic circulation can increase synthesis to values > 10-fold higher than nml