Liver Flashcards
How many lobes are apparent in the liver? Describe their sizes.
The liver consists of 2 lobes, the right and left lobe - the right lobe is greater than the left lobe
What is a portal system?
2 capillary systems in series
From where does the inferior mesenteric vein drain?
From the descending colon, sigmoidal colon, and the rectum
From where does the splenic vein drain? Which vessel does this meet on its way to the hepatic portal vein?
The splenic vein drains the spleen, pancreas, and stomach - it joins the inferior mesenteric vein before reaching the hepatic portal vein
How many portal systems are there in the human body? List them.
There are 2 portal systems in the human body
- the hepatic portal system
- the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system
List an exocrine secretion associated with the liver.
Secretion of bile
What percentage of the liver do hepatocytes consume? Name some cellular organelles that hepatocytes are abundant in.
Hepatocytes comprise around 80% of the liver, and are abundant in mitochondria, peroxisomes, SER, RER, golgi apart us, and free ribosomes
List 6 components that the liver is known to store.
Iron Vitamin A Vitamin B12 Vitamin D Vitamin K Glycogen
From which source is iron obtained from and stored in the liver?
From the breakdown of haemoglobin
What family of enzymes breaks down drugs and poisons in the liver? What organelle are these enzymes associated with?
Cytochrome P45 enzymes break down these metabolites, and are associated with the SER
Name 3 hormones the liver catabolises (breaks down).
Insulin
Oestrogen
Progesterone
Is the liver an exocrine or endocrine gland?
It is both
Which vessel do the hepatic veins of the liver drain into?
The inferior vena cava (which leads to the heart)
Compared to a normal cell, list 7 organelles that are more abundant in a hepatocyte.
- more peroxisomes
- more mitochondria
- more free ribosomes
- more Golgi apparatus
- more RER
- more SER
- more glycogen deposits
What is a sinusoid? What occurs here in the liver?
An irregular tubular space for the passage of blood, taking the place of capillaries in the liver, bone marrow and spleen. In the liver oxygenated blood and deoxygenated blooms mixes in these sinusoids
What is the bile canaliculi?
A thin tube where bile secreted by hepatocytes - these eventually merge to form bile ducts
What shape does a liver lobule assume? How many sides does this means it has?
A hexagon, with 6 sides
What is the function of the gallbladder?
It stores bile produced by the liver
What percentage of blood does the portal hepatic vein deliver to the liver? What provides the liver with the rest of its blood supply?
The hepatic portal vein delivers around 75%’of blood to the liver - the rest (25%) is delivered by the hepatic arteries
What area does a liver animus cover?
The distance between (and including) 2 adjacent hepatic veins
How does blood flow through the liver into the inferior vena cava?
It first enters and flows through the liver sinusoids and empties into the central hepatic veins - these hepatic veins coalesce and empty into the inferior vena cava
What are Kupffer cells?
Kupffer cells are specialist macrophages that line the the hepatic sinusoids
What percentage of macrophages do Kupffer cells contribute to the human body?
80%
What do Stellate (Ito) cells contain?
Stellate cells are full of cytoplasmic vacuoles which contain Vitamin A
