WEEK 19 - Liver, Gallbladder, and Spleen Anatomy and Function

Flashcards about the liver, gallbladder and the spleen

Where is the liver located in relation to surrounding structures?

Inferior to the diaphragm; left lobe anterior to stomach, right lobe anterior to right kidney, superior to duodenum, pancreas, and gallbladder.

What are the main surfaces of the liver?

Diaphragmatic (superior) and visceral (inferior) surfaces.

What separates the right and left lobes of the liver?

The falciform ligament.

What are the posterior lobes of the liver?

Caudate lobe (inferior to IVC) and quadrate lobe (adjacent to gallbladder).

What ligaments attach the liver to surrounding structures?

Falciform, hepatogastric, hepatoduodenal, coronary/triangular ligaments.

What is the “bare area” of the liver?

An area on the posterior liver with no peritoneum, directly in contact with the diaphragm.

What are the two sources of blood supply to the liver?

Hepatic artery (oxygenated blood) and hepatic portal vein (nutrient-rich, deoxygenated blood).

What enters/exits through the porta hepatis?

Hepatic artery proper, hepatic portal vein, and common hepatic duct.

What forms the hepatic portal vein?

The splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein.

What are hepatocytes?

The liver's functional cells that perform metabolism, bile production, and detoxification.

What is a hepatic lobule?

A structural unit of the liver containing hepatocytes arranged in plates (hepatic laminae), separated by hepatic sinusoids.

What flows through hepatic sinusoids, and what are their features?

Blood from the portal triad; they have clefts and fenestrations for exchange with hepatocytes.

What is the portal triad?

A branch of the hepatic artery, portal vein, and bile duct.

How does blood exit the liver?

Central veins → hepatic veins → inferior vena cava → right atrium of the heart.

What are Kupffer cells?

Hepatic macrophages in sinusoids that phagocytize debris, pathogens, and damaged RBCs.

Describe bile flow in the liver.

Hepatocytes secrete bile into canaliculi → bile ducts → right and left hepatic ducts → common hepatic duct.

How is bile transported to the duodenum?

Common hepatic duct + cystic duct → common bile duct → hepatopancreatic ampulla → duodenum.

What are the major functions of the liver?

Nutrient metabolism and storage, plasma protein synthesis, vitamin and mineral storage, detoxification, bile production and secretion.

Where is the gallbladder located?

Under the right lobe of the liver, on its visceral surface.

What is the function of the gallbladder?

Stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver.

How does CCK affect the gallbladder?

Stimulates the gallbladder to contract and release bile into the duodenum.

What is the lifespan of an RBC, and where is it broken down?

About 120 days; broken down by macrophages in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow.

What happens to hemoglobin after RBC breakdown?

Globin to amino acids, Iron stored or reused, Heme biliverdin bilirubin.

What causes jaundice?

Accumulation of bilirubin in tissues due to liver dysfunction, excessive RBC breakdown, or bile duct obstruction.

What ligament divides the liver into right and left lobes?

Falciform ligament

What is the bare area of the liver?

A region on the diaphragmatic surface without peritoneal covering, in direct contact with the diaphragm.

Which ligaments attach the liver to the stomach and duodenum?

Hepatogastric ligament (to the stomach) and hepatoduodenal ligament (to the duodenum).

What are the two sources of blood supply to the liver?

The hepatic artery (oxygenated blood) and the hepatic portal vein (nutrient-rich, deoxygenated blood).

What forms the hepatic portal vein?

The splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein.

What structures form the portal triad?

A branch of the hepatic artery, a branch of the portal vein, and a bile duct.

What is the flow of bile from the liver to the duodenum?

Right and left hepatic ducts → common hepatic duct + cystic duct → common bile duct → hepatopancreatic ampulla → duodenum.

What are hepatocytes?

Functional liver cells that form hepatic lobules and perform metabolic, synthetic, and detoxifying functions.

What is a hepatic lobule?

A hexagonal unit made of hepatocytes organized in plates separated by sinusoids; blood flows toward a central vein, and bile flows in the opposite direction.

What are Kupffer cells?

Specialized macrophages in hepatic sinusoids that phagocytose debris, pathogens, and aged RBCs.

List 5 key functions of the liver.

Metabolize carbohydrates, lipids, proteins; synthesize plasma proteins; store vitamins/minerals; detoxify substances; produce and secrete bile.

What happens in the liver during high blood glucose levels?

Glycogenesis (glucose to glycogen) and lipogenesis (glucose to fatty acids/triglycerides).

What processes occur during low blood glucose levels?

Glycogenolysis (glycogen to glucose) and gluconeogenesis (new glucose from non-carbohydrates).

What is the liver’s role in lipid metabolism during fasting?

It performs beta-oxidation for ATP, creates ketone bodies for energy, and uses glycerol for gluconeogenesis.

What does the liver produce from cholesterol?

Bile salts (used in fat emulsification).

What plasma proteins are synthesized by the liver in the fed state?

Albumin, globulin, prothrombin, fibrinogen, transferrin, ferritin, lipoproteins.

What happens to amino acids during fasting?

They are used to make ATP and glucose.

Which vitamins are stored in the liver?

Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, and vitamin B12.

How is iron stored in the liver?

As ferritin, bound to transferrin for transport when needed.

How does the liver detoxify drugs and hormones?

Converts substances (e.g., alcohol, steroids) into water-soluble forms for excretion in bile or urine.

What is the function of the gallbladder?

Stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver (30–60 mL capacity).

How is bile released from the gallbladder?

CCK stimulates gallbladder contraction and relaxation of the hepatopancreatic sphincter → bile enters duodenum.

What triggers CCK release and what does it do?

Fatty chyme in the duodenum triggers CCK → stimulates gallbladder contraction and bile release.

What happens to bile when the duodenum is empty?

No CCK → sphincter closes → bile backs up into the gallbladder for storage.

What is bile composed of?

Water, bile salts (from cholesterol), cholesterol, bilirubin, and ions.

What are the two roles of bile?

Emulsify fats (digestive role) and excrete bilirubin (excretory role).

Where are aged RBCs destroyed?

In macrophages of the spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

How is heme processed after RBC destruction?

Heme → biliverdin → bilirubin → liver (conjugated) → bile → intestines → urobilinogen.

What are the final products of bilirubin metabolism?

Urobilin (urine) and stercobilin (feces).

What causes jaundice?

Excess bilirubin in blood due to liver dysfunction, biliary obstruction, or hemolytic anemia.

Give 3 causes of jaundice.

Hepatitis, Bile duct obstruction, Hemolytic anemia.