What the Liver does

Question 1

What is “ischaemia”?

Answer 1

A restriction in blood supply to tissues, causing oxygen and glucose starvation

Question 2

What minerals / ions does the liver store?

Answer 2

Iron
Copper
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12

Question 3

What nutrients does the liver metabolise?

Answer 3

Carbohydrates
Proteins
Lipids

Question 4

What two substances does the liver excrete?

Answer 4

Bile salts

Bilirubin

Question 5

In the centre of a liver lobule, which vessel is found?

Answer 5

Hepatic venule

Question 6

In the outer region of the liver lobule, which two vessels can be found?

Answer 6

The branch of:

• The hepatic portal vein
• The hepatic artery

Question 7

The inner region of the liver lobule is periportal or perivenous? What does it mean?

Answer 7

Perivenous - low oxygen

Question 8

The outer region of the liver lobule is periportal or perivenous? What does it mean?

Answer 8

Periportal - high oxygen

Question 9

Which region of the liver lobule will suffer from damage first, and why?

Answer 9

The perivenous region, because it is already a low oxygen environment

Question 10

What does BMR stand for and what is it?

Answer 10

Basal Metabolic Rate, accounts for 60-75% of daily calorie expenditure

Question 11

Insulin and Glucagon is released by which cells?

Answer 11

Beta cells of the Iselets of Langerhan in Pancreas (Insulin)

Alpha cells of the Iselets of Langerhan in Pancreas (Glucagon)

Question 12

In a liver lobule, blood moves from the peri___ region to the peri____ region…

Answer 12

Periportal to perivenous

Question 13

What are the three classes of amino acids?

Answer 13

Essential
Non-essential
Semi-essential

Question 14

What is an essential amino acid?

Answer 14

An amino acid which cannot be synthesised and must be taken in the diet

Question 15

What is a non-essential amino acid?

Answer 15

Amino acids which can be synthesised in the body by transamination. Not required to be taken in by the diet.

Question 16

What is a semi-essential amino acid?

Answer 16

Amino acids which become essential under conditions of metabolic stress

Question 17

What is the transamination of amino acids?

Answer 17

The transfer of an amino group to a keto-acid to form a new amino acid

Question 18

What are the three main transaminase enzymes?

Answer 18

ALT
AST
Glutamate aminotransferase

Question 19

What does an increase in AST/ALT levels suggest?

Answer 19

Liver damage

Question 20

What does an increase in ALP suggest?

Answer 20

Possible cholestasis / cirrohosis

Question 21

What does an increase in GGT suggest?

Answer 21

Cholestasis

Question 22

What does an increase in PT (prothrombin) suggest?

Answer 22

Possible liver damage

Question 23

What is deamination?

Answer 23

The removal of an amino group from an amino acid or other compound

Question 24

It was previously thought that Urea was completely removed, however it is now believed ?% of Urea is recycled

Answer 24

25%

Question 25

25% of Urea is re-cycled, but how does this occur?

Answer 25

Urea synthesised in the liver, can go back into the intestine, whereby bacteria breaks down Urea via Bacterial Urease into ammonia, then ammonia into amino acids by Bacterial synthesis

Question 26

What are the four sub stages of phase one / first pass metabolism?

Answer 26

Oxidation
Hydrolysis
Hydroxylation
Deamination

Question 27

What enzyme is responsible for first pass metabolism?

Answer 27

Cytochrome P450

Question 28

What is Phase Two Metabolism also known as?

Answer 28

Detoxifiation / Conjugation Pathway

Question 29

What happens during Phase Two metabolism?

Answer 29

The liver cells add another substance (e.g. cysteine, glycine, or S) to a drug to render it less harmful

Question 30

How many units are adults permitted to drink usually per week?

Answer 30

14 units per week