Liver and Alcohol

Question 1

How does the liver deal with Alcohol?

Answer 1

• Hepatocytes contain the enzyme - Alcohol dehydrogenase
• converts Ethanol to Ethanal
• Ethanal converted to Ethanoate
• Converted into fatty acids then into acetyl - CoA which then enters Respiration

Question 2

What happens if there is too much alcohol in the blood?

Answer 2

• fatty acids produced cannot all enter respiration
• some will accumulate as fat-filled cells inside the liver tissue
• replace the functioning hepatocytes
• sinusoids will become narrow
• Blood is inhibited and reversible damage to occurs to the liver cells
• Hepatocytes stop functioning, stop dividing and are replaced by fibrous tissues
• Toxins are no longer dealt with and accumulate in the blood
• may lead to death