Liver: anatomy & functions

The Liver
• Largest gland in the body
(about 3 pounds)
• Over 500 functions
• Inferior to diaphragm in
RUQ and epigastric area
protected by ribs
• R and L lobes
– Plus 2 smaller lobes
• Falciform ligament
– Mesentery binding liver to
anterior abdominal wall
• 2 surfaces
– Diaphragmatic
– Visceral
• Covered by peritoneum
– Except “bare area” fused to
diaphragm 2
 posterior

Fissure on visceral surface

Porta hepatis: major vessels and nerves anterior

enter and leave –

Ligamentum teres: remnant of
umbilical vein in fetus, attaches to navel
3
Fetal circulation

Ligamentum
Umbilical vein ___________ teres__________
Navel_______

4
5
 Gross Anatomy
• The liver is divided) into four lobes:
the right (the largest lobe), left,
quadrate and caudate lobes.

• Supplied with blood via the protal

vein and hepatic artery.

• Blood carried away by the hepatic

vein.

• It is connected to the diaphragm

and abdomainal walls by five
ligaments.

• The liver is the only human organ that has

the remarkable property of self-
regeneration. If a part of the liver is
removed, the remaining parts can grow
back to its original size and shape.
Anatomy
GALLBLADDER ANATOMY
 GALLBLADDER ANATOMY
• Thin-walled green
muscular sac
• On the inferior surface of
the liver
• Stores bile that is not
immediately needed for
digestion
• When the muscular wall of
LIVER

the gallbladder contracts

bile is expelled into the bile GALL
duct BLADDER
 BILE
• BILE – bile salts, bile
pigments, cholesterol,
neutral fats, phospholipids
and electrolytes

• Liver produces 0.5-1 l of

bile daily
LIVER
•

GALL
BLADDER
 Gallbladder*
• Bile is produced in the liver
• Bile is stored in the gallbladder
• Bile is excreted into the
duodenum when needed (fatty
meal)
• Bile helps dissolve fat and
cholesterol
• If bile salts crystallize, gall stones
are formed
– Intermittent pain: ball valve effect
causing intermittent obstruction
– Or infection and a lot of pain,
fever, vomiting, etc.

* 11
 LIVER ANATOMY
• Liver lobules – hexagonal
structures consisting of
hepatocytes
• Hepatocytes radiate
outward from a central
vein
• At each of the six
corners of a lobule is a
portal triad
• Liver sinusoids
 LIVER ANATOMY
• Hepatocytes produce bile

• Bile flows through canals

called bile canaliculi to a bile
duct

• Bile ducts leave the liver

via the common hepatic duct
LIVER ANATOMY

20 %

80 %
 Functions
• Metabolic
 Synthesis
 Breakdown
 Other functions – storage of vitamin A,D,B12,F…
• Excretion of waste products from bloodstream
into bile
• Vascular – storage of blood
 Synthesis
• Protein metabolism
 Synthesis of amino acids
• Carbohydrate metabolism
 Gluconeogenesis
 Glycogenolysis
 Glycogenesis
• Lipid metabolism
 Cholesterol synthesis
 Lipogenesis
• Production of coagulation factors I, II, V, VII, IX, X
and XI, and protein C, protein S and antithrombin
• Main site of red blood cell production
 Breakdown
• Breaks down insulin and other hormones
• Breaks down hemoglobin
• Breaks down or modifies toxic substances →
sometimes results in toxication
• Converts ammonia to urea
 Other functions
• Produces albumin, the major osmolar
component of blood serum
• Synthesizes angiotensinogen, the hormone
responsible for raising blood pressure when
activated by renin (enzyme released when the
kidney senses low blood pressure)