H.

4 Functions of the liver Liver Largest gland in the body and uniquely has an input of blood form two separate sources o Blood enters via hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein and travels through sinusoids before leaving via the hepatic vein o Larger part of the liver will be on the right side of the body whilst the smaller lobe sits behind the stomach Gallbladder is an organ for storage of bile Hepatic circulatory system o Sinusoids (specialised capillaries) form a star shaped structure o Blood is separated from surrounding tissue by the endothelial layer of as normal capillary (layer of single cells) Liver capillaries have no endothelial layer of cells so the blood is in direct contact with the cells of the liver Sinusoid is porous, has no basement membrane, single layered Blood makes contact with hepatocytes and is filtered/detoxified Kupffer cells are phagocytic cells but are not leucocytes (not part of the immune system), ingest erythrocytes (red blood cells) when are past usefulness life cycle of about 120 days Membrane of red blood cells becomes weak and flimsy and is absorbed by the Kupffer cells o Regulate concentration of nutrients in blood plasma Need to regulate levels of nutrients in the blood Excess of glucose and salts causes osmotic concentration of blood High sugar/salt leads to increased water in blood becoming hypertonic and potentially harmful to brain Excess amino acids are harder to store and can become toxic Amine group of amino acids produces urea which is a toxin when its broken down Liver deaminates excess amino acids Removes amine group (H-N-H part), converted first in to ammonia but it is too toxic and therefore is combined with CO2 to form urea, which is filtered out by the kidneys Excess vitamins or minerals are harmful in large doses Fat soluble vitamins i.e. vitamins E, K, A, D are stored in the liver temporarily Liver stores glycogen insulin stimulates hepatocytes to absorb glucose and convert it to glycogen Retinol (vitamin A, from carotene) used to make other vitamins Calciferol (vitamin D) helps uptake of calcium Iron is used to make haemoglobin, returns to bone marrow via blood to form new red blood cells - stored temporarily in the hepatocytes

Bile secretion o Bile produced by hepatocytes

o Bile is secreted in to narrow channels into bile canaliculi Bile carried in larger ducts to the gall bladder where it is stored and water is re-absorbed Bile flow direction is opposite to blood flow (flow in adjacent channels) Bile contains hydrogen carbonate ions (neutralise stomach acid), bile pigments, bile salts (made from cholesterol), cholesterol Therefore has hydrophilic properties (from an and salts) and hydrophobic (from cholesterol) o o Breakdown of red blood cells Erythrocyte membrane ruptures at end of life cycle Phagcytosis of haemoglobin by Kupffer cells Haemoglobin is made of two parts haem groups and globins Haem group is broken down in to iron, to make new red blood cells in bone marrow, and bile pigment to form bile Globins broken down in to amino acids, which are released in to the blood o o Functions of liver Hepatocyte RER produces plasma proteins Albumin, globulin, fibrinogen Hepatocytes produce cholesterol Cholesterol component stablises phospholipid bi-layer in plasma membrane Cholesterol carried by blood attached to protein (lipoproteins) as would otherwise clump LDL low density lipoproteins Associated with strokes, hear attacks, atherosclerotic plaques deposition of cells or fats which harden and narrow blood vessels Can become dislodged and cause clogging in other blood vessels HDL high density lipoproteins Deposits less plaque due to the carrying density of the molecule in comparison to LDLs