Basic Human Liver Anatomy And Functions.

Welcome to the Anatomy and Physiology for Students podcast and in this episode we're going to talk about the liver, some basic anatomy and physiology. So the liver is the largest solid organ and the largest gland in the human body. It carries out over 500 essential tasks. So just to give you some fast facts, it is the only organ that can regenerate. And one of the major causes of liver problems in the country is alcohol abuse. And we'll go a little bit into more detail of some other liver problems or liver diseases. So going into the structure, the skin is the only organ heavier and larger than the liver. The liver roughly is triangular and consists of two lobes. There's a right lobe which is the larger of the two lobes and a smaller lobe which is the left lobe. Now these lobes are separated by a ligament called the falseiform ligament which is a band of tissue that anchors the liver to the bottom part of the diaphragm. So moving on into some of the functions of the liver, again it's classified as a gland and it does carry out over 500 distinct roles in conjunction with other organs in the body. But some of those major functions include bowel production which helps break down and absorb fats, cholesterol and some vitamins. Absorbing and metabolizing very rubin and very rubin is formed by the breakdown of hemoglobin, supporting blood clots. So vitamin K is necessary for the creation of certain coagulants that help clot the blood, bile is essential for vitamin K absorption and is created in the liver. Fet metabolization, so bile breaks down fats and makes them easier to digest. Metabolizing carbohydrates is another function of the liver and carbohydrates are stored in the liver where they are broken down into glucose and siphon into the bloodstream to maintain normal glucose levels. Some of the other functions are vitamin and mineral storage, filters the blood, immunologic function, production of albumin, and synthesis of antiotyscinogen which is a hormone that raises blood pressure by narrowing the blood vessels when alerted by a production of an enzyme called renin in the kidneys. So again we mentioned before earlier that the liver is the only organ that has the capability of regeneration. And this is important because the liver can regrow rapidly as long as it is kept healthy. Now the liver is the only visceral organ like I said that can regenerate and it can regenerate completely as long as a minimum of 25% of the tissue remains. So one of the most impressive aspects of the liver is that it can regrow to its previous size and ability without any loss of function during the growth process. So let's talk about some of the diseases. So as an organ that's complex as a liver it can experience a range of problems. So a healthy liver functions very efficiently. However a diseased or malfunctioning liver can be dangerous and have fatal consequences. So some of the diseases that we see in the liver are cirrhosis which is escarring of the liver in a process known as fibrosis. And usually you see cirrhosis when you have a number of factors which include some toxins or alcohol which can cause fibrosis and cause the liver to fail. Hepatitis is another disease of the liver which is an infection of the liver from viruses and toxins or it can be an autoimmune response which can cause it. And it's characterized by an inflamed liver and it prevents the liver from healing itself. But liver failure, well the liver can heal itself but if the inflammation is very severe it can cause a liver failure it may prevent the liver from regenerating. And this is mostly in severe cases. Then you have a fatty liver disease which usually happens when you have obesity or alcohol abuse. So in fatty liver disease you have these vacuals of fat that build up in the liver cells and if it's not caused by alcohol abuse the condition is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. And the most lethal of all liver diseases is liver cancer. The most common types of liver cancer are hepatocelular carcinoma and some of the leading causes of liver cancers are alcohol and the hepatitis. It is the sixth most common form of cancer and second most frequent cause of cancer death. So in order to have a maintain a healthy liver one must look at diet so a liver is responsible for digesting fats and consuming too many can overwork the organ and deserve it from other tasks. Moderate alcohol intake so avoiding consuming more than two drinks at a time drinking too much alcohol can cause the losses of the liver over time. When the liver breaks down alcohol it produces toxic chemicals and for serious damage to occur it takes the equivalent of a liter of wine every day for 20 years for women the threshold is less. So definitely want to moderate your alcohol intake to have a healthy liver. You want to avoid illicit substances, caution with mixing medication, some prescription drugs and natural remedies can cause a bad reaction or interact negatively when mixed and mixing drugs with alcohol put significant pressure on the liver. Protection against airborne chemicals when painting or using strong cleaning or guarding chemicals the area should be well ventilated or mass should be worn. Some of these airborne chemicals can cause liver damage because the liver has to process any toxins that enter the body and avoid exposure to blood and germs which is very important. You want to receive medical attention if you're exposed to any bloodborne pathogens from another person and it's important not to share personal items related to hygiene such as toothbrushes and dirty needles. So this was our episode on liver function and anatomy. If you have any questions about the liver, liver anatomy or any of the physiology make sure you leave a voice message in anchor or in the comments and I'll be more than happy to answer them for you. Thanks for visiting or watching or listening to this episode and we hope to see you again.