University:
Michigan State University
Course:
ANTR 211 | Human Tissues and Cells for Medical Illustrators
Academic year:

2024
Views:

374

Pages:

3
Author:

Lamghari6kx

The Liver abdominal aorta inferior vena cava hepatic veins liver al he tic a p rt po m te s sy right and left hepatic duct (bile ducts) hepatic arteries (right and left) gall bladder hepatic artery celiac trunk common hepatic artery superior mesenteric artery hepatic portal vein blood from the digestive organs sinusoids (blood-filled spaces) hepatocytes (liver cells) central vein hepatic artery portal triad portal vein (portal tract) bile duct liver lobule inferior vena cava hepatic artery portal triad portal vein (portal tract) bile duct Function and Structure of the Liver The liver is one of the most important organs of the body. It’s functions include: 1) Receiving venous blood from the digestive tract (oxygen poor but nutrient rich) via the portal vein, which and is then filtered. 2) The liver makes bile (more specifically: it’s hepatocyte cells make bile). Bile is a fat emulsifier. Bile breaks down fats so that they can be absorbed into the blood in the small intestine. 2) The liver stores glucose as glycogen and coverts the glycogen back to glucose when the body needs it. 3) The liver filters alcohol and drugs from the blood (detoxifies). 4) The liver stores fat-soluble vitamins (Vit. A, Vit. E, Vit. D, and Vit. K). 5) The liver reuses iron in old, worn out red blood cells before breaking them down. 6) The liver converts ammonia in to urea (which the body can use). 7) The liver’s cells (hepatocytes) use amino acids to make plasma proteins. Liver Structure: The liver has four lobes which are made up of smaller lobules. The liver’s lobules are its functional units. Each lobule is a hexagon shape made up of plates of hepatocytes (special epithelial cells). The plates of hepatocytes radiate outward from a central vein. Through them is a canal where the bile they produce flows outward into the triad’s bile duct. The canals are called bile canaliculi. At each of the 6 corners of the hexagon-shaped lobules is a triad of vessels, including: • hepatic artery (brings arterial blood to the actual liver tissue) • portal vein (brings venous blood to the liver to be filtered) • bile duct (delivers bile for fat emulsification) Between the hepatocyte plates are sinusoids (blood-filled spaces). The sinusoids are lined with special phagocytic cells, called Kupffer Cells. Blood from the hepatic portal vein and the hepatic artery filters through the sinusoids from the triads to the central vein. The Kupffer Cells absorb the blood waste as it passes in the blood. sinusoids (blood-filled spaces) central vein Liver Lobule hepatic artery portal vein bile duct liver lobule portal triad (portal tract) hepatocytes (liver cells) sinusoids (blood-filled spaces) hepatic artery portal vein central vein bile duct portal triad (portal tract) Kupffer cell in a sinusoid bile canaliculi plates of hepatocytes (liver cells)