Liver Structure and Function

Question 1

In which quadrant is the liver the located?

Answer 1

• right upper quadrant

Question 2

Which large muscle sits above the liver?

Answer 2

• the diaphragm

Question 3

True or False?

The liver has four major lobes.

Answer 3

False

The liver has two major lobes and two minor lobes.

Question 4

Name the four lobes of the liver.

Answer 4

• right
• left
• caudate
• quadrate

Question 5

Which main vein and artery supply the liver?

Answer 5

• hepatic artery

- hepatic portal vein

Question 6

State the lymphatic supply of the liver.

Answer 6

• via left and right hepatic ducts that then drain into the common hepatic duct

Question 7

Where does nerve supply of the liver originate?

Answer 7

• hepatic nerve plexus

Question 8

What joins the hepatic duct and which ducts arise from them?

Answer 8

• cystic duct from the gallbladder joins the hepatic duct

- they form the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct

Question 9

What runs between the right and left lobes of the liver?

Answer 9

• the round ligament

Question 10

Which ligament surrounds the bare area and what is its function?

Answer 10

• coronary ligament

- where the liver attaches to the underside of the diaphragm

Question 11

What covers the branching network of septa into the liver? State where this network originates.

Answer 11

• connective tissue capsule

- at the porta

Question 12

True or False?

The septa divide into hexagonal lobules.

Answer 12

True

Question 13

What makes up the portal triad?

Answer 13

• hepatic portal vein
• hepatic artery
• hepatic duct

Question 14

Where are the portal triads located?

Answer 14

• at each corner of the hexagonal lobules

Question 15

What travels at the centre of each lobule?

Answer 15

• central veins

Question 16

Where do the central veins drain?

Answer 16

• into the hepatic veins and then into the inferior vena cava

Question 17

Which structures radiate out from the central vein?

Answer 17

• hepatic cords

Question 18

What are the hepatic cords composed of?

Answer 18

• hepatocytes

Question 19

Describe the bile canaliculus and state where you would find them.

Answer 19

• cleft-like lumen

- lie within each hepatic cord

Question 20

What are the spaces between the hepatic cords called?

Answer 20

• hepatic sinusoids

Question 21

What are hepatic sinusoids?

Answer 21

• discontinuous capillaries

Question 22

What is the function of the hepatic sinusoids?

Answer 22

• they allow dead blood cells the filter out of the system

Question 23

Describe the blood that runs through the portal system.

Answer 23

• low oxygen

- high nutrient

Question 24

True of False?

The liver can store an unlimited amount of glycogen.

Answer 24

False.

The liver can only store a certain amount of glycogen (around 18miles)

Question 25

State the alimentary role of the liver.

Answer 25

- the production and secretion of bile

Question 26

Name the five components of bile.

Answer 26

- bile acids - lecithin - cholesterol - bile pigments - toxic metals - bicarbonate

Question 27

What is the only component of bile that is not secreted by hepatocytes.

Answer 27

- bicarbonate

Question 28

How are bile pigments formed?

Answer 28

- they are formed from the breakdown products of haemoglobin from old or damaged erythrocytes

Question 29

Name the predominant bile pigment.

Answer 29

- bilirubin

Question 30

True or False? | Bilirubin can be extracted from the blood by hepatocytes.

Answer 30

True. | It is then secreted into bile.

Question 31

What colour of bile does bilirubin produce?

Answer 31

- yellow

Question 32

Explain why faeces is usually brown.

Answer 32

- bilirubin that is not extracted by hepatocytes continue into the intestines - here they are modified by bacterial enzymes - this leads them to form brown pigments

Question 33

Explain why urine is usually yellow.

Answer 33

- bilirubin that is reabsorbed maintains its yellow pigment and is excreted in urine

Question 34

How do bile acids become bile salts? How does this affect solubility?

Answer 34

- they are conjugated with glycine or taurine | - this increases solubility

Question 35

Through which system are bile salts recycled?

Answer 35

- enterohepatic circulation

Question 36

Describe the gallbladder.

Answer 36

- sac-like structure - lies of the inferior surface of the liver - has folded rugae

Question 37

To reach the common bile duct, through which duct must gallbladder secretions travel?

Answer 37

- the cystic duct

Question 38

What structure controls bile secretion?

Answer 38

- the sphincter of Oddi

Question 39

What happens the bile when the sphincter of Oddi contracts?

Answer 39

- the bile is forced back into the gallbladder

Question 40

True or False? | The gallbladder concentrates all bile 15 times.

Answer 40

False. The gallbladder concentrates bile between 5 and 20 times. The number of times depends on how long each period of time is between fatty meals.

Question 41

Explain how bile is secreted.

Answer 41

- presence of fat in the duodenum triggers the release of CCK - this triggers the relaxation of the sphincter of Oddi - it also triggers the contraction of the gallbladder - this forces bile out of the sphincter of Oddi