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Medical Science - Physiology > Liver Function > Flashcards

Liver Function Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three basic functions of the liver?

A

Storage and filtration of blood
Secretion of bile
Various metabolic functions

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2
Q

What is the functional unit of the liver?

A

Lobule

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3
Q

How many lobules in the liver?

A

About 100,000

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4
Q

Briefly describe the structure of a lobule

A

Central vein surrounded by:

  • hepatic cellular plates containing hepatocytes
  • bile canaliculi
  • sinusoids
  • portal triad (duct, artery, portal vein)
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5
Q

What two types of cells line sinusoids?

A
  • Endothelial cells

- Kupffer cells

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6
Q

What are Kupffer cells?

A

Large phagocytic cells

Remove 99% of bacteria from portal blood stream

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7
Q

What is the name given to the space between the sinosoids and the hepatocytes?

A

Space of Disse

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8
Q

What which two vessels does blood enter the liver?

A

Portal vein

Hepatic artery

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9
Q

What role does the liver play in hemorrhage?

A

Releases stored blood from sinusoids

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10
Q

What happens to blood flow in cirrhosis?

A

Increase in hepatic vascular resistance

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11
Q

From where does portal blood come?

A

Intestines, so contains intestinal bacteria

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12
Q

What is the pathway of bile flow?

A 
Hepatocytes
Bile canaliculi
Terminal bile ducts
Common bile duct
Intestine
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13
Q

How much bile is secreted per day?

A

800-1000ml

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14
Q

What is the function of the gallbladder?

A

Concentrate bile (up to 12 fold)

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15
Q

What hormone acts on the gallbladder to release bile?

A

Cholecystokinin (stimulated by fat in food)

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16
Q

What are the four main components of bile?

A

Bile salts
Bilirubin
Cholesterol
Electrolytes

17
Q

What are bile salts made of?

A

Metabolites of cholesterol and amino acids (usually glycine)

18
Q

What are the two main functions of the bile salts?

A

Break down fat globules (emulsifying)

Absorb lipids from the intestine

19
Q

What is the name of the complex that bile salts form with lipids, and what is their purpose?

A

Micelles

Make lipids soluble

20
Q

What happens when lipids are not properly absorbed?

A

ADEK vitamins not properly absorbed

Vitamin K deficiency leads to blood coagulation factor (e.g. prothrombin, fibrinogen) deficiency

21
Q

What is enterohepatic circulation?

A

Recirculation of bile salts - reabsorbed from intestine into portal vein

22
Q

How does bilirubin reach the liver?

A

Old red blood cells release haemoglobin and are phagocytosed
Heme rings open to give 4 pyrrole compound –> bile pigments
Biliverdin –> bilirubin released into plasma where it combines with albumin
Bilirubin-albumin complex combines with Y-protein in liver cells

23
Q

To what compound is bilirubin-albumin metabolised?

A

Bilirubin glucoronide - excreted into bile ducts

24
Q

What is jaundice?

A

High free and conjugated bilirubin

25
Q

What causes jaundice?

A

Haemolytic - increased destruction of red blood cells

Obstructive - Obstruction of bile ducts or damage to liver cells

26
Q

What are gallstones?

A

Precipitation of insoluble cholesterol in bile system

27
Q

What are the causes of gallstones?

A

Too much water absorbed from bile
Too much bile salt absorption
Too much cholesterol secreted into bile
Inflammation of gallbladder epithelium

28
Q

What are the carbohydrate metabolic functions of the liver?

A
  • Storage of glycogen
  • Conversion of galactose to glucose
  • Conversion of amino acids to glucose
  • Formation of intermediates for metabolism
  • Control of blood glucose concentration
29
Q

What are the fat metabolic actions of the liver?

A
  • B-oxidation of fatty acids to supply energy
  • Formation of lipoproteins
  • Formation of cholesterol and phospholipids
  • Conversion of carbohydrates and proteins to fats
30
Q

What does the liver do to amino acids?

A

De-amination before conversion to fat/carb/energy

Synthesis of non-essential amino acids

31
Q

What is the function of urea?

A

Removal of ammonia from gut bacteia

32
Q

What results from ammonia build up?

A

Hepatic coma

33
Q

What is the relationship between plasma proteins and the liver?

A

The liver makes 85% of them

34
Q

How is iron stored in the liver?

A

As ferritin bound to apoferritin

Medical Science - Physiology (11 decks)

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