Liver Flashcards

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1
Q

Hepatic Portal Vein

A

vein that brings nutrient blood from the intestines to the liver

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2
Q

Hepatic Portal Artery

A

artery used to bring oxygenated blood from the heart to the liver

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3
Q

Define Starch

A

a polysaccharide made of alpha-D-glu, that is broken down into maltose by amylase

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4
Q

Functions of the Liver

A
  1. Regulates nutrient levels before it moves to the rest of the body
  2. Glucose regulation
  3. Breaks down excess amino acids and proteins
  4. Production of plasma proteins
  5. Regulates lipids (eg. cholesterol and phospholipids)
  6. Detoxification
  7. Stores vitamins and minerals
  8. Breaks down erythrocytes
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5
Q

How does the liver regulate glucose levels?

A

liver stores glycogen, and when glucagon is released by alpha-islet cells in the pancreas, glycogen is broken down into glucose and moved through body

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6
Q

Albumin

A

plasma protein that regulates the osmolarity of blood

means that it can raise BP because of water retention

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7
Q

Bile

A

a molecule made by the liver that helps emulsify (break down) fat molecules to allow for absorption

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8
Q

Gallbladder

A

organ that is responsible for storing (but not creating) bile

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9
Q

Which vitamins does the liver store?

A

KADE (Vitamin K, A, D, and E), B12, and Fe and Cu

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10
Q

Vitamin K

A

vitamin responsible for blood clotting, the precursor to thrombinokinase

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11
Q

Vitamin A

A

vitamin responsible for helping eyesight

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12
Q

Vitamin D

A

vitamin responsible for absorption of calcium in blood stream and may play a role in depression

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13
Q

Vitamin E

A

vitamin that plays a role in skin

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14
Q

What is a vitamin?

A

a molecule that is used by the human body, usually as a coenzyme, that is required for essential functions and usually obtained through diet

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15
Q

Vitamin B12

A

vitamin plays a role in iron absorption, DNA replication, cell metabolism, and basically everything important

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16
Q

Lifespan of an erythrocyte

A

120 days

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17
Q

Kupffer cells

A

the liver’s macrophages, used to engulf and break down blood cells and recycle RBCs

18
Q

Spleen

A

organ that acts as the blood reservoir that helps with immunity

19
Q

Lobules

A

the module in which the liver is broken into

20
Q

Hepatocytes

A

liver cells that are responsible for the main functions of the liver

21
Q

Sinusoids/Sinusoidal Cavity

A

a canal that allows blood to pass through the lobule and lined with hepatocytes

22
Q

Hepatic Vein

A

vein that brings blood from liver to heart

23
Q

Central Vein

A

vein in the center of the lobule, where all the sinusoids drain into and feeds into the hepatic vein

24
Q

Structure of hepatocytes

A
  1. Contain microvilli to increase surface area and absorb more vitamins
  2. More smooth ER to help synthesize lipids
25
Q

Deamination

A

the process of taking extra amine groups off amino acids and turning it into ammonia to break down and detoxify amino acids, since amino acids cannot be stored

26
Q

Decarboxylation

A

process of removing carbon from a molecule

27
Q

Carboxylation

A

process of fixing another carbon to a molecule

28
Q

Cholesterol

A

fat molecule synthesized by the liver that makes plasma membranes stiffer and involved in bile production

29
Q

Detoxification

A

the removal of toxins from an organism like: 1. Alcohol
2. Metabolic products (things that cannot be broken down into macromolecules)
3. Food Preservatives
4. Drugs (eg. tylenol)
5. Poisons

30
Q

Process of Erythroctye Breakdown

A
  1. Erythrocyte reaches shelf life of 120 days
  2. Kupffer cells engulf contents of RBC and breaks down hemoglobin into a heme and a globin
  3. Globin is digested by peptidases to produce amino acids
  4. Amino acids from globin are used to either synthesize new protein or change into urea
  5. Iron is removed from heme group, and heme broken down into bilirubin/bile pigment
  6. Iron moved to store in liver or to bone marrow
  7. Bilirubin moved to liver to be released into alimentary canal and eventually into the large intestine
31
Q

What is the process of alcohol breakdown?

A
  1. Alcohol (ethanol) arrives in liver
  2. Ethanol broken down into acetaldehyde
  3. Acetaldehyde broken down into acetic acid (vinegar)
32
Q

Acetaldehyde

A

a toxin created by alcohol metabolization that reduces cellular antioxidant activity, and creates inflammation and scarring of the liver tissue

33
Q

Cirrhosis

A

the process of healthy liver cells being replaced with fibrous scar tissue as a result of toxins like acetaldehyde and reduces liver’s ability to function

34
Q

Effects of Long Term Alcohol Use

A
  1. Inflammation- swelling of damaged liver tissue (alcoholic hepatitis)
  2. Fat accumulation- build up of fat in place of normal liver tissue
  3. Cirrhosis- scar tissue left behind where parts of liver are destroyed
35
Q

Consequences of Cirrhosis

A

seizures, bad wound healing, bad nutrient flow, and jaundice

36
Q

Jaundice

A

yellowing of the skin and eyes caused by buildup of bilirubin in the blood and creates deposits in other cells
major symptom of hepatitis

37
Q

Pre-hepatic jaundice

A

jaundice caused by damage to the RBCs, which makes them release the bilirubin into the blood prematurely, caused by malaria and sickle cell

38
Q

Intra-hepatic jaundice

A

jaundice caused by damage to the liver (like cirrhosis or hepatitis), causes bilirubin buildup because it cannot break it down enough

39
Q

Post-hepatic jaundice

A

jaundice where the bile ducts become blocked and bile can’t be released into intestine, caused by gallstones or tumor

40
Q

Why do some premies have jaundice?

A

Because when a baby is born, they’re rapidly breaking down RBCs in order to replace fetal hemoglobin (w/ two gamma groups) with adult hemoglobin (w/ two beta groups). sometimes the enzymes are overwhelmed by the amount of RBCs broken down, causing a buildup of bilirubin

41
Q

Why does Vitamin D help with premie jaundice?

A

because Vitamin D is a coenzyme for the enzyme that breaks down RBCs, which allows for bilirubin to be broken down faster

42
Q

Consequences of infantile jaundice if untreated

A

Brain damage, hearing loss, and cerebral palsy