Digestive system: gall bladder + liver

Question 1

Function of the gall bladder

Answer 1

Stores bile

Question 2

Bile

Answer 2

A substance produced by the liver

Question 3

What does bile do during digestion?

Answer 3

Helps break down fats

Question 4

Location of the gall bladder

Answer 4

Under the right lobe of the liver and near the duodenum.

Question 5

Cystic duct

Answer 5

A tube that joins the (liver) bag’s narrow end to the bile (hepatic) duct, a tube from the liver

Question 6

What do the cystic duct and hepatic duct both lead on to?

Answer 6

The common bile duct, a tube that opens into the duodenum

Question 7

How does the gall bladder work?

Answer 7

Between meals the common bile duct’s mouth closes, and bile coming from the liver backs up in the gall bladder.
When stored bile is needed, the common bile duct’s mouth opens and bile escapes from the gall bladder into the duodenum

Question 8

What is the largest gland in the body?

Answer 8

The liver

Question 9

What is the liver?

Answer 9

A complex chemical factory and important food store

Question 10

Structure of the liver:

Answer 10

A spongy reddish mass in the right upper abdomen

Question 11

What are the 4 lobes of the liver?

Answer 11

Right, left and two small lobes behind the right

Question 12

What do the lobes of the liver contain?

Answer 12

Groups of specialised liver cells. Between groups of liver cells are tiny caverns called sinusoids

Question 13

How does the liver work: Part 1 - inside lobules

Answer 13

Inside the lobules, sinusoids fill with blood from 2 sources: the hepatic artery brings blood and oxygen from the heart. The portal vein brings nutrient - rich blood from the small intestine

Question 14

How does the liver work: Part 2 - liver cells

Answer 14

Liver cells absorb nutrients and oxygen from the blood, cleanse it of poisons + wastes, and enrich blood with sugar, minerals and vitamins

Question 15

How does the liver work: Part 3 - hepatic vein

Answer 15

Blood processed by the activities in the lobules and liver cells now leaves the liver via the hepatic vein

Question 16

How does the liver work: Part 4 - bile

Answer 16

Liver cells also produce bile. Bile leaves the liver through the bile (hepatic) duct

Question 17

Functions of the liver: blood

Answer 17

Makes certain blood proteins.

Question 18

Functions of the liver: glucose

Answer 18

It controls the body’s chief fuel supply (glucose) by storing the glucose as glycogen and reconverting it to glucose when required

Question 19

Functions of the liver: storage of vitamins etc

Answer 19

Stores certain vitamins, iron, and minerals

Question 20

Functions of the liver: waste

Answer 20

Breaks down wastes into soluble products that can be expelled via the kidneys