The liver

Question 1

Label this diagram

Answer 1

L1 - Right lobe of liver

L2 - Bile ducts

L3 - Gallbladder

Middle - Small intestine

R1 - left lobe of liver

R2 - Stomach

R3 - Spleen

R4 - Pancreas

R5 - colon

Question 2

What are the main functions of the liver?

Answer 2

Site of cholesterol and fat synthesis, site of protein degration and conversion to sugars and urea, bile generation, detoxification aka drug removal, and the breakdown of waste material.

Question 3

Which two sources does the liver recieve its blood from?

Answer 3

The first is the hepatic artery which delivers oxygenated blood from the general circulation. The second is the hepatic portal vein delivering deoxygenated blood from the small intestine containing nutrients.

Question 4

How does the nutrients interelate through the liver and circulation system?

Answer 4

Most nutrients absorbed by the intestine must pass through the liver before they enter the circulation system so that they can be filtered of harmful zenobiotics.

Question 5

Which 3 veins and/or arterys connect to the liver, and from where do they come from?

Answer 5

Heptatic artery - comes from aorta of the heart

Hepatic portal vein - Comes from digestive capillaries

Hepatic vein - Leaves liver to enter inferior vena cava

Question 6

True or False, all blood entering the digestive organs leaves via the hepatic portal vein.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

True or False? The hepatic portal vein has high oxygen levels

Answer 7

False

Question 8

What are sinusoids?

Answer 8

Sinusoids are low pressure vascular channels that receive blood from the hepatic artery and portal vein at the periphery of lobules and deliver it into central veins.

Question 9

What is the bile duct?

Answer 9

The bile ducts are a series of thin tubes that go from the liver to the small intestine. Their major job is to move a fluid called bile from the liver and gallbladder into the small intestine, where it helps digest the fats in food.

Question 10

What is the importance of the central vein in the liver?

Answer 10

They receive the blood mixed in the liver sinusoids (from hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein) and return it to circulation via the hepatic veins.

Question 11

What are hepatocytes?

Answer 11

Hepatocytes are the chief functional cells of the liver and perform an astonishing number of metabolic, endocrine and secretory functions. Roughly 80% of the mass of the liver is contributed by hepatocytes. In three dimensions, hepatocytes are arranged in plates.

HC for head chief

Question 12

Define liver sinusoid.

Answer 12

Blood vessel that serves as a location for the mixing of oxygen rich blood from the hepatic artery and nutrient rich blood from the portal vein.

Question 13

Where is excess production of bile stored?

Answer 13

The gall bladder which sits right below the liver

Question 14

Where is bile released into?

Answer 14

Released into the duodenum to breakup and solubilise fats from food.

Question 15

Which organ makes bile?

Answer 15

liver

Question 16

How does fat and cholesterol metabolism work in hepatocytes?

Answer 16

Glucose from the blood (hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein) is absorbed by liver cells, the liver will burn some of it as the liver needs alot of energy. it will do this by converting it to glycolysis and then further coverted into ATP. Excess glucose will be stored, some as cholesterol ending up as bile salts and some as triacyglycerols aka fats to be stored in the body.

Question 17

Where are fats made in the liver stored?

Answer 17

Either in the liver or exported to the body in lipoprotein particles to get to cells.

Question 18

True or False? The liver is a fatty organ

Answer 18

True

Question 19

If you stop eating foods high in cholesterol and fats does that mean your body will have less fats and cholesterol?

Answer 19

No as the liver will just produce more cholesterol and fats using glucose.

Question 20

What happens if you eat foods high in fructose (bad sugar)?

Answer 20

It is directly converted into fats which can build up in the liver and develop into liver cirrhosis.

Question 21

What is fatty liver disease?

Answer 21

An increased build-up of fat in the liver. Due to the intake of fructose which is directly convereted into TAG aka fats.

Question 22

what is liver cirrhosis?

Answer 22

Chronic liver damage from a variety of causes leading to scarring and liver failure.

Question 23

What is urea?

Answer 23

Urea is a waste product of metabolism that is excreted by the kidneys in urine

Question 24

How is urea made from liver proteins?

Answer 24

Liver proteins are broken down to amino acids and the excess amino acids further degrade by the removal of the amino group which generates urea. The remaining part is turned into a sugar.

Question 25

How does drug (xenobiotic) removal occur in the liver? aka detoxification

Answer 25

The product is oxygenised aka oxygen is added, then something water soluble is added

Question 26

During detoxification of drugs or chemicals in the liver what type of enzymes carry out the phase one reactions?

Answer 26

p450

Question 27

How is THC metabolised in the liver?

Answer 27

It is metabolised by mainly p450 enzymes. more than 55% of THC is excreted in feces and 20% by the urine.

Question 28

What is an issue with alcohol consumption that is similar to the issue with fructose especially is alcohol is mixed with sugar?

Answer 28

The liver breaks alcohol down by turining it into energy aka fat deposits, this can build up in liver and lead to issues similar to fructose such as liver issues and failiure. aka liver cirrhosis.

Question 29

What is Alcoholic cirrosis?

Answer 29

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis is the most advanced form of liver disease that’s related to drinking.