Liver & Pancreas Histology Flashcards
What are the primary tissue types in the liver?
hepatocytes, blood vessels and lymphatics, connective tissue, capsule, serous external surface
What are the features of hepatocytes?
lots of rough ER, lots of smooth ER, lots of mitochondria, often more than one nucleus
What is the lifespan of a hepatocyte?
150 days
What may happen after extensive liver repair?
Liver may not regrow the same lobular structure
What is a lobule?
A structural unit of the liver
What are the two blood supplies of the liver?
arterial supply and hepatic portal system
What is the portal triad?
hepatic artery, portal vein and bile duct
How can you distinguish the bile duct from the artery and the vein?
The bile duct has columnar epithelium instead of squamous epithelium
What is the central vein?
A vein where the sinusoids drain into that carries blood to the hepatic vein and then into the IVC
What are liver sinusoids?
Specialised capillaries in the liver that carry both oxygenated and deoxygenated blood together
What are the features of sinusoids?
larger than other capillaries, wavy lining to increase surface area, lining is discontinuous, gap between endothelium and hepatocyte (space of Disse), macrophages on inner walls (Kupfer cells)
What is the classic lobule model?
Defines the lobule based on the central vein being in he middle and the portal triad around the outside (hexagon)
What is the portal lobule model?
Defines the lobule based on the centre being the portal triad and surrounded by central veins (triangle)
What is the acinar lobule model?
Defines the lobule based around two central veins with the midpoint receiving the most oxygen (oval) – diagram in Evernote
What is the exocrine function of the liver?
producing bile
