Liver function and assessment Flashcards
What is the largest solid organ in the human body?
The liver.
How many lobes does the liver have?
Two—one large right lobe and a smaller left lobe.
What is the function of stellate cells in the liver?
They store vitamin A and can become myofibroblasts during liver injury.
What are the main cells of the liver?
Hepatocytes, making up about 80% of the liver.
What are the two main blood vessels supplying the liver?
The hepatic artery (oxygen-rich blood) and the hepatic portal vein (nutrient-rich blood from the GI tract).
What immune cells are found in the liver?
Kupffer cells.
What microscopic structure organizes the liver?
Hexagonal lobules.
How does blood leave the liver?
Through the hepatic vein.
What is the biliary tree?
A network of ducts that transport bile from the liver to the gallbladder and intestines.
What is the function of bile?
Aiding in fat digestion by emulsifying fats for pancreatic lipases.
What gives faeces their brown colour?
Stercobilinogen, a breakdown product of bilirubin.
What gives urine its yellow colour?
Urobilinogen, a metabolite of bilirubin excreted by the kidneys.
What are the major metabolic functions of the liver?
Processing carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and hormones.
What proteins are synthesized in the liver?
Albumin, clotting factors (e.g., fibrinogen, prothrombin), and globulins.
What substances does the liver store?
Vitamins (A, D, B12), iron, and glycogen.
How does the liver detoxify the body?
By metabolizing drugs, bilirubin, and toxins.
What is bilirubin?
A breakdown product of haemoglobin.
How does the liver make bilirubin soluble?
By conjugating it with glucuronide.
What are the three types of jaundice?
Pre-hepatic (e.g., hemolytic anemia), intrahepatic (e.g., liver disease), and post-hepatic (e.g., bile duct obstruction).
What is acute hepatitis?
Inflammation of the liver, often caused by viral infections or drugs.
What is chronic hepatitis?
Liver inflammation lasting more than six months, commonly due to alcohol, viral infections, or autoimmune disease.
What is cirrhosis?
Chronic liver damage leading to fibrosis and scarring, often due to alcohol, viral infections, or metabolic diseases.
What are the complications of acute liver failure?
Cerebral oedema, multi-organ failure, and high mortality.
Which enzymes indicate liver injury?
AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, and LDH.
