LIVER | ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF LIVER | STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF LIVER | HEPATOCYTES | LOBULEs

Описание: The liver is a large, reddish-brown organ in the upper right abdomen, divided into a large right lobe and a smaller left lobe, supported by a dual blood supply from the hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein. Its physiology includes over 500 functions, such as filtering blood from the digestive system, producing bile to aid digestion, metabolizing nutrients, detoxifying blood, and storing glucose as glycogen.
Anatomy
Location: The liver is situated in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, below the diaphragm.
Lobes: It has two main lobes: a larger right lobe and a smaller left lobe, separated by the falciform ligament. There are also two smaller lobes, the caudate and quadrate lobes.
Structure: The liver is composed of thousands of microscopic units called lobules, which are hexagonal in shape and contain central veins and "portal triads" at their corners.
Blood Supply: It has two main blood supplies:
Hepatic artery: Carries oxygenated blood from the aorta.
Hepatic portal vein: Carries nutrient-rich blood from the digestive tract, spleen, and pancreas.
Blood Drainage: Blood leaves the liver through the hepatic veins, which drain into the inferior vena cava.
Physiology and functions
Blood filtration and detoxification: The liver filters blood from the digestive tract, removing toxins and processing absorbed nutrients before they enter the general circulation.
Bile production: It produces bile, a fluid that helps in the digestion and absorption of fats in the small intestine. Bile is then transported to the gallbladder for storage or directly to the small intestine.
Metabolism: The liver plays a crucial role in metabolism by:
Storing glucose as glycogen and converting it back to glucose when the body needs it.
Processing amino acids to create new proteins and clotting factors.
Metabolizing fats and producing cholesterol and special proteins to transport fats.
Detoxification and drug metabolism: It metabolizes and breaks down drugs and alcohol, as well as other waste products.
Nutrient and vitamin storage: The liver stores essential vitamins and minerals.