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Describe the role of the liver
It is a key metabolic and excretory organ which removes excess and unwanted substances from the blood
It also has a high enzyme activity which releases energy in the form of heat, which heats the blood
Explain why the liver needs lots of blood
This is because the liver has a high metabolic rate
And therefore needs a large supply of oxygen for aerobic respiration to produce lots of ATP
State the vessels which allow the flow of blood to and from the liver
The liver has 4 main vessels which connect to the liver:
Hepatic artery
Hepatic portal vein
Hepatic vein
Bile duct
State the role of the hepatic artery and vein
The hepatic artery - Carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the liver
The hepatic vein - Carried blood away from the liver
Describe and explain the role of the hepatic portal vein
The hepatic portal vein carried deoxygenated blood from the digestive system to the liver
This is because blood from the digestive system contains products from digestion such as amino acids, monosaccharides, fatty acids and glycerol. These products are processes by the liver
Toxic compounds such as ethanol, that may have also been absorbed will be removed from the blood before it re-joins circulation
Describe the role of the bile duct
The bile duct carries bile from the liver to the gall bladder, where it is stored until required to aid digestion
Describe in detail the structure of the liver and the flow of blood and bile in the liver
The hepatic portal vein and artery branch and enter the lobules from interlobular vessels
Blood from both vessels mixes in the sinusoid
These chambers are lined with liver cells, hepatocytes, that remove unwanted substance from the blood and return those that are needs
Within the sinusoid, Kupffer cells help break down old red blood cells. Haemoglobin is broken into bilirubin, of the pigments in bile
Bile, made in the hepatocytes, is passed through the bile canaliculi, via the bile duct, to the gall bladder
When the blood reaches the end of the sinusoid, it flows into a branch of the hepatic vein
label the liver