Liver Toxicity and Detoxification

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering liver anatomy, disease progression (AFLD/NAFLD), alcohol metabolism, and Phase I/II/III detoxification pathways.

Portal vein

The structural input to the liver that carries blood from the intestines.

Hepatic artery

The structural input to the liver that carries blood from the heart.

Kupffer Cell

Resident liver macrophages that can be stimulated by NAD to release cytokines.

Stellate Cell

A specific type of cell located in the liver sinusoids involved in liver physiology.

Hepatocyte

The primary functional cell of the liver involved in metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis.

Hepatic lobule

The structural unit of the liver.

Albumin

A protein synthesized by the liver that transports unconjugated bilirubin; low levels serve as a marker for chronic injury.

Steatosis

Also known as fatty liver, it is the accumulation of excess fat in liver cells in the form of triglycerides.

Fibrosis

Stage 2 of liver disease where liver tissue starts to scar and function begins to decrease.

Cirrhosis

Stage 3 of liver disease characterized by extensive scarring, loss of function, and the possible onset of jaundice.

Canalicular Cholestasis

A mechanism of liver injury involving the impairment of bile flow.

Mallory bodies

Inclusions found in the liver cells of patients specifically during the hepatitis stage of Alcoholic Liver Disease.

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)

The enzyme that, with the cofactor NAD, breaks down ethanol into acetaldehyde.

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

A liver enzyme that serves as a high-level marker of inflammation.

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

A liver enzyme that serves as a high-level marker of inflammation.

Phase I Reactions

The process facilitated by Cytochrome P450 enzymes that makes lipophilic compounds less lipid soluble through oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, hydration, or dehalogenation.

Phase II Reactions

Conjugated pathways (such as sulfation, glucuronidation, and methylation) that make xenobiotics more polar and water soluble.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)

Toxic byproducts produced during Phase I detoxification reactions that require antioxidants for neutralization.

Glutathione (GSH)

An antioxidant used in both Phase I and Phase II detoxification, synthesized from the amino acids Glycine, Cysteine, and Glutamine.

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)

A nutrient used in Phase II conjugation and a supplement used to decrease liver toxicity.