Liver Structure and Function

Question 1

2 major and 2 minor lobes

Answer 1

right and left. caudate and quadrate

Question 2

weight of the liver

Answer 2

~1.4kg

Question 3

portal triad

Answer 3

hepatic artery, hepatic portal vein and bile duct

Question 4

vessels entering and leaving the porta

Answer 4

hepatic artery, hepatic portal vein, lymphatic vessels, bile duct and nerves (hepatic nerve plexus)

Question 5

what divides the liver into hexagonal lobules

Answer 5

septa

Question 6

what is at each corner of the hexagonal lobules

Answer 6

a portal triad (artery, portal vein and hepatic duct)

Question 7

at the centre of each lobule

Answer 7

central vein

Question 8

drainage of a central vein

Answer 8

central vein –> hepatic veins –> IVC

Question 9

what are hepatic cords

Answer 9

lines radiating out from the central vein. Made out of hepatocytes

Question 10

spaces between hepatic cords

Answer 10

hepatic sinusoids

Question 11

movement of blood in lobule

Answer 11

comes in through portal vein and artery –> travels through hepatic sinusoids

some to hepatocytes for bile synthesis and nutrient processing

some into central vein to drain into IVC

Question 12

movement of bile in lobule

Answer 12

secreted by hepatocytes –> collected in bile duct of portal triad

Question 13

6 components of bile

Answer 13

1. bile acids
2. lecithin
3. cholesterol
4. bile pigments
5. toxic metals
6. bicarbonate

Question 14

which components of bile solubilise fat

Answer 14

bile acids, lecithin and cholesterol

Question 15

bicarbonate is the only component of bile not secreted by hepatocytes. what cells secrete it

Answer 15

duct cells

Question 16

predominant bile pigment

Answer 16

bilirubin

Question 17

bilirubin is a breakdown product of what substance from old and damaged RBCs

Answer 17

haemoglobin

Question 18

pathway of bile from liver back to liver again

Answer 18

liver –> bile duct –> duodenum –> ileum –> HPV –> liver

Question 19

how much of our bile salts do we lose in a day

Answer 19

~5%

Question 20

3 layers of gallbladder wall

Answer 20

mucosa, muscularis externa and serosa

Question 21

duct leaving the gallbladder

Answer 21

cystic duct

Question 22

role of gallbladder

Answer 22

to store and concentrate bile

Question 23

how does the gallbladder concentrate bile

Answer 23

by absorbing Na and H2O

Question 24

what is CCK

Answer 24

cholecystokinin - responsible for stimulation of fat and protein digestion

Question 25

effect of fat in duodenum on CCK

Answer 25

CCK is released

Question 26

what does CCK release trigger

Answer 26

1. spinchter of oddi relaxtion
2. gallbladder contraction
3. pancreas secreting enzymes
4. bile secretion

Question 27

what does CCK inhibit

Answer 27

gastric emptying

Question 28

Where are duct cells found

Answer 28

In the pancreas lining the ducts