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Module 5 > The Liver > Flashcards

The Liver Flashcards

1
Q

Functions of the liver

A
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2
Q

What role does the liver play in storage

A
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3
Q

Examples of harmful substances the liver detoxes

A

Alcohol
H2O2
Lactate
Drugs
Hormones

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4
Q

How does the liver detoxify harmful substances (general)

A

-> oxidised / reduced / methylated etc. using enzymes
E.g. catalases converts H2O2 to H2O & O2
E.g. cytochrome P450 (a group of enzymes) breaks down drugs like cocaine, & is used in metabolic reactions like transport

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5
Q

How does the liver detoxify alcohol steps

A
  1. Alcohol broken by ethanol dehydrogenase, forming ethanal
  2. Ethanal further dehydrogenated to form the ethanoic acid with ethanoate
  3. Ethanoate/Acetate combines with CoA to form acetyl CoA
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6
Q

How does the liver detoxify lactate

A
  1. Converted to pyruvate
    -> some enters the mitochondria for aerobic respiration
    -> provides energy for the rest of the lactate to be converted to glucose
  2. So some converted to glucose
    -> then stored as glycogen
    -> or enters blood to maintain blood glucose concentration
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7
Q

Role of NAD in detoxification

A

Typically used in lipid processing
- oxidised & breakdown fatty acids so they can be used in respiration

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8
Q

What is liver cirrhosis

A

The scarring of liver tissue caused by excess alcohol consumption -> death of liver tissue

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9
Q

How does liver cirrhosis happen

A

Ethanol respired by hepatocytes instead of fat
-> extra fat stored (leads to fatty liver condition)
Reducing ability of hepatocytes to function
Therefore, leading to cirrhosis

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10
Q

What is present in the liver to lead to the formation of urea

A

Amino acids

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11
Q

Why are there amino acids in the liver

A

Proteins in diet digested to amino acids
Amino acid absorbed into the bloodstream & transported to liver

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12
Q

Why are excess amino acids not excreted or stored

A

Not excreted = as they contain a lot of energy
Not stored as they make amino acids toxic

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13
Q

So what happens to excess amino acids in the liver

A

Treated (converted to urea) to remove and excrete the amino component (deanimation & the ornithine cycle)

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14
Q

What happens in deanimation

A
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15
Q

What happens in the ornithine cycle

A

(Extra) After urea transported to the kidneys, the kidneys filter urea out of the blood, & into the urine, and the urine is stored in the bladder until released from cycle

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16
Q

What does the liver do

A

Break down unwanted & toxic substances & produce excretory waste

17
Q

Liver diagram

A
18
Q

Liver diagram

A
19
Q

4 liver vessels?

A

Hepatic vein
Hepatic portal vein (blood supply)
Hepatic artery (blood supply)
Bile duct

20
Q

What does the hepatic vein do

A

Carries deoxygenated blood from the liver (to the vena cava) & them to the heart

21
Q

What does the hepatic portal vein

A
22
Q

What does the hepatic artery do

A

Supplies oxygenated blood from the heart & oxygen for aerobic respiration

23
Q

What does the bile duct do

A

Carries bike from liver -> gallbladder
- the gall bladder = where bile is stored!
Bile emulsifies fats in the small intensive, & neutralises stomach acid

24
Q

Why does the liver require a constant blood supply

A

As it supplies the oxygen needed for a high rate of aerobic respiration
+ as hepatocytes are very active (carry out many metabolic processes)

25
Q

What are hepatocytes & features

A
  • liver cells
  • very dense cytoplasm
  • regenerate by mitosis
  • many metabolic functions
  • large SA in contact with blood
    # maximise exchange of substances
26
Q

Hepatocytes Sinusoids & central vein diagram

A
27
Q

What are sinusoids

A
  • wide capillaries in which blood is carried (blood from the hepatic artery & portal vein mix)
    -> lined with incomplete layers of endothelial cells & hepatocytes
  • allowing blood to reach hepatocytes for substance exchange between them
    @ the end of the sinusoid, concentrations of substances in blood have been modified & regulated
    -> enter branch of hepatic vein
28
Q

Liver lobule features

A
29
Q

Section of a lobule diagram

A
30
Q

What is the bile canaliculus

A
  • surrounded by hepatocytes which produce bile
    -> connect to drain bile into the bile duct
31
Q

What are kupffer cells

A

Specialised macrophages
-> destroy pathogens before they can travel any further
- breakdown + recycle old red blood cells

32
Q
A
33
Q
A
34
Q
A
35
Q
A
36
Q
A
37
Q
A
38
Q
A

N = central vein
O = hepatocyte

39
Q
A

Module 5 (12 decks)

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