The Liver

Question 1

describe the liver

Answer 1

this is a major organ that functions in metabolism of materials absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, as well as storing glycogen and releasing glucose

Question 2

what are some of the functions of the liver

Answer 2

• metabolism of materials absorbed from the git, storing glycogen and releasing glucose
• protein synthesis
• inactivation of hormones and drugs
• excretion of waste
• bile production

Question 3

how big is the liver

Answer 3

around 1.5 kilos and is usually larger in males

Question 4

what colour is the liver

Answer 4

red brown

Question 5

how does the liver function in digestion

Answer 5

it is an accessory organ for digestion as it produces bile which goes on to be stored and concentrated in the gall bladder.
detoxifies and processes everything absorbed from the git and regulates glucose in the blood

Question 6

which proteins are synthesised in the liver

Answer 6

clotting factors and platelet regulations

Question 7

what can the liver inactivate

Answer 7

hormones
drugs
insulin
many waste products

Question 8

why can the metabolism of drugs in the liver be of detriment

Answer 8

when the product of metabolism is more toxic than the inital compound, such as in use of paracetamol

Question 9

where is the liver located in the abdomen

Answer 9

right hypochondrium, extending over to the epigastric region and to the left hypochondrium

Question 10

what is the largest gland in the body

Answer 10

the liver

Question 11

which internal organ is the heaviest

Answer 11

the liver

Question 12

how many lobes are there on the liver

Answer 12

four

Question 13

what is the liver covered by

Answer 13

lower ribs and costal cartilage

Question 14

what is the falciform ligament

Answer 14

embryological remnant of ventral mesentery and attaches to the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall

Question 15

what is the round ligament

Answer 15

a remnant of the umbilical vein
sometimes continuous with the ligamentum venosum, which is a fibrous remnant of the ductus venosus

Question 16

what does the ductus venosus do

Answer 16

direct blood in fetal life

Question 17

how is the liver supplied with blood

Answer 17

through a dual supply

Question 18

for how much of blood flow do the hepatic arteries account for

Answer 18

25%

Question 19

what does the hepatic artery do

Answer 19

provide oxygenated blood for the liver

Question 20

what carries blood from the glut spleen and related organs to the liver

Answer 20

the hepatic portal vein

Question 21

what do the intrahepatic ducts unite to form

Answer 21

the left and right extrahepatic ducts which link to the common hepatic duct

Question 22

what does the common hepatic duct come from

Answer 22

the left and right hepatic ducts which carry bile to the gall bladder

Question 23

what carries bile to the gall bladder

Answer 23

the left and right hepatic ducts

Question 24

what is the liver made up of

Answer 24

hexagonal hepatic lobules containing liver cells

Question 25

what are the liver cells

Answer 25

hepatocytes

Question 26

what do liver cells or hepatocytes produce

Answer 26

bile

Question 27

what produces bile in the liver

Answer 27

hepatocytes

Question 28

what does bile contain

Answer 28

lipid emulsifiers and waste products including bile pigments

Question 29

what would the lipid emulsifiers contain in bile be

Answer 29

bile salts

Question 30

what would the bile pigments contained in bile be

Answer 30

bilirubin

Question 31

where is bile stored and concentrated

Answer 31

the gall bladder

Question 32

what do bile salts do

Answer 32

they help cholesterol metabolism and aid absorption of fat soluble vitamins

Question 33

what is bilirubin

Answer 33

a breakdown product of red blood cell metabolism

Question 34

how is bilirubin excreted

Answer 34

faeces

Question 35

why is shit brown x

Answer 35

bilirubin produced from red blood cell metabolism is a pigment released in the faeces

Question 36

what is the function of bilirubin

Answer 36

antioxidant

Question 37

what does the hepatic portal vein do

Answer 37

drains unpaired abdominal organs like the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, spleen, etc and takes all the absorbed material to the liver

Question 38

what percentage of blood supplied to the liver comes from the hepatic portal vein

Answer 38

75%

Question 39

what happens to material once it has been absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract

Answer 39

enters the hepatic portal vein to pass through the liver and be processed

Question 40

which vessels does the hepatic portal vein come from

Answer 40

the splenic and the superior mesenteric veins

Question 41

is the spleen avascular

Answer 41

no it is highly vascular

Question 42

what does the bulk of the blood going into the hepatic portal vein come from

Answer 42

the spleen

Question 43

which organs supply blood to the splenic portion of the hepatic portal vein

Answer 43

the spleen provides the bulk. some blood comes from the inferior mesenteric vein

Question 44

describe the route of the blood in the hepatic portal vein

Answer 44

blood carried from the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas and spleen to thel iver

Question 45

is the hepatic portal vein a true vein and explain your answer

Answer 45

no, as it conducts blood to the capillaries of the liver rather than to the heart

Question 46

what does the hepatic portal vein receive blood from

Answer 46

inferior mesenteric, stomach and gall bladder

Question 47

what is the hepatic artery a branch of

Answer 47

the coeliac trunk

Question 48

what is the blood supply of the liver

Answer 48

the hepatic artery and the hepatic portal vein

Question 49

how is blood processed in the liver

Answer 49

blood from the hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein flow past hepatocytes in sinusoids, which drain to the hepatic vein. bile flows in the opposite direction to the blood

Question 50

what is the central vein divided into

Answer 50

three parts called the portal triad

Question 51

describe the portal triad

Answer 51

the portal vein, the hepatic artery and the bile canaliculus

Question 52

what are sinusoids

Answer 52

capillaries with a larger diameter than normal capillaries that has specialised lining endothelial cells with a main role in clearing blood waste.

Question 53

what are kupffer cells

Answer 53

specialised macrophages

Question 54

how does the liver function in related to iron

Answer 54

stores and metabolises iron, which is then used by red blood cells for oxygen transport proteins like haemoglobin

Question 55

what are some disorders of the liver

Answer 55

hepatomegaly cirrhosis obstructive jaundice hepatic carcinoma

Question 56

what is hepatomegaly

Answer 56

an enlarged liver which is a sign of underlying problems with the liver itself, or cardiac failure or cancer metastasis presents with abdominal pain, fatique, nausea, vomiting and jaundice

Question 57

what is jaundice a symptom of

Answer 57

many conditions

Question 58

what is cirrhosis

Answer 58

scarring or fibrosis of the liver. caused by inflammation like hepatitis or chronic alcoholism

Question 59

what is obstructive jaundice caused by

Answer 59

pancreatic cancer and gall stones

Question 60

what is hepatic carcinoma caused by

Answer 60

primary liver cancer, linked to chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. may require surgery, liver transplant or chemotherapy. it is the most common primary liver cancer

Question 61

what is ERCP

Answer 61

endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Question 62

describe the route of an ERCP

Answer 62

scope is fed into the oral cavity, into the back of the pharynx, down the oesophagus, into the stomach toward the duodenum. at the major papilla, dye is projected upward to give an outline of the tubes and highlight any blockages

Question 63

what does the cystic duct control

Answer 63

secretions in and out of the gall bladder

Question 64

what does retrograde mean

Answer 64

something is going backward