The liver: structure and function Flashcards
What are the functions of the liver?
- metabolic
- biotransformation (drugs, lipophilicity)
- bile production
- bilirubin secretion
- Storage (glycogen)
What are the non-parenchymal cells of the liver?
- Kupffer cells
- Sinusoidal endothelial cells
- Hepatic stellate cells (collagen synthesis)
What are the two vessels that supply the liver?
hepatic artery and portal vein
Where does the common hepatic artery branch from?
The celiac artery
What artery supplies the gallbladder?
Cystic arteries
Which two veins come together to make up the portal vein?
splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein
Which strutures make up the beginning of the biliary system?
Canals of Hering
Lymph–Where does it form? Where does it drain to?
Lymph forms in the space of disse. It drains to the lymph nodes of the hilum and vena cava
What keeps the liver in place?
Coronary ligaments
Right and left triangular ligaments
Falciform ligaments
Hepatoduodenal ligament
What is contained in the hepatoduodenal ligament?
- hepatic artery
- Portal vein
- Common bile duct
- Lymphatic vessels
- Nerves
What direction does blood flow? What direction does bile flow?
Blood: From portal triad to central vein.
Bile flows in the opposite direction
What does the basal surface of the hepatocyte face?
Sinusoidal space
What does the apical surface of the hepatocyte face?
Other hepatocytes cells
What does the lateral surface
The bile canaliculi
Describe the breakdown of bilirubin
HgB–>Heme–>Biliverdin–>bilirubin. It’s then transported through the blood by albumin. Taken up by hepatocytes. Conjugated by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase to be made water soluble. Excreted through bile ducts
