Aadhil - Biology h/w

Fatty Liver
If, on a regular basis, large quantities of alcohol is consumed, the
amount of reduced NAD increases, and the amount of oxidised NAD
decreases. Oxidised NAD is required during the breakdown of ethanol
to ethanoate (acetate). Oxidised NAD is also involved in oxidising fatty
acids in the liver cells. As the NAD becomes reduced, it can no longer
function in oxidising the fatty acids.
Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with long aliphatic tails (chain), which
is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids
have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. The
fatty acids are converted to fats which build up and are eventually
deposited in the liver. More specially, the fat is deposited in the
hepatocytes of the liver.
Through the storing of fats in the hepatocytes, the efficiency of the
function of the hepatocytes becomes limited. This effect is known as
fatty liver. There has arisen a correlation between the quantity of
alcohol consumed and the amount of fat that has been deposited in a
person's liver.

Liver Cirrhosis
The direct effect of ethanol on the liver cells can bring about a
condition called cirrhosis. The damaged hepatocytes are gradually
replaced by fibrous tissue. The healthy liver tissue is replaced with this
scar tissue which eventually prevents the liver from functioning
properly. The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through the liver and
slows the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, and naturally
produced toxins. The scarring occurs due to continuous, long-term liver
damage.
The structure in which blood is supplied to the hepatocytes is stopped
slowly by the formation and persistence of the scar tissue. Some of the
blood that is brought by the hepatic portal vein flows right into the
hepatic vein, and does not even flow within the sinusoids between the
hepatocytes in the lobule.
The damage caused by cirrhosis can't be reversed and eventually can
become so extensive your liver stops functioning. This is called liver
failure. The ways in which cirrhosis is treated is carried out cutting
down on alcohol consumption and/or stop drinking alcohol or to lose
weight if you're overweight. In its more advanced stages, the scarring

Aadhil - Biology h/w

caused by cirrhosis can make your liver stop functioning. In this case, a
liver transplant is the only treatment option.