Liver Structure and function

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about the liver, drug metabolism, and pharmacokinetics.

Liver

The largest internal organ in the body, responsible for various metabolic and detoxification processes.

Liver Lobules

Functional units of the liver parenchyma, consisting of epithelial plates and sinusoids.

Hepatic Sinusoids

Specialized capillary beds in the liver with holes for filtration.

Hepatocytes

Cells that make up 70% of the liver's mass and perform many of the liver's functions.

Hepatic Stellate Cells (Ito cells)

Cells found in the space of Disse; store Vitamin A and are involved in liver regeneration and fibrosis.

Kupffer Cells

Specialized macrophages in the liver involved in immune responses.

Biliary Canaliculi

Thin tubes that collect bile secreted by hepatocytes.

Cholangiocytes

Epithelial cells that line the bile ducts.

Bile

A fluid composed of water, electrolytes, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, bilirubin, and metabolized drugs.

Bile Acids

Cholesterol derivatives with an acidic group, acting as detergents to aid in lipid digestion.

Conjugation

The process where metabolites are combined with charged species to increase water solubility for excretion.

Heme Oxygenase

An enzyme responsible for breaking down heme into biliverdin, iron, and CO.

Glucuronosyltransferase

An enzyme responsible for conjugating metabolites with glucuronic acid.

Cytochrome P450 System

Enzymes, mainly located in the endoplasmic reticulum, involved in metabolizing endogenous and exogenous chemicals.

Enzyme Inducers

Drugs that increase the synthesis of cytochrome P450 in the liver.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450 function.

Pharmacology

The study of the actions of chemicals on biological systems.

Pharmacodynamics

The actions of drugs on the body.

Pharmacokinetics

Describes the effects of the body on drugs, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Bioavailability

The fraction of the dose of a drug that reaches the systemic circulation.

First Pass Effect

Elimination of a drug that occurs after administration but before it enters systemic circulation.

Volume of Distribution (Vd)

Theoretical volume that relates the amount of drug in the body to plasma concentration.

Clearance (CL)

The volume of plasma that is cleared from the drug per unit of time.

First-Order Elimination

Rate of elimination is proportional to the concentration of the drug.

Half-Life (t1/2)

The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the blood to decrease by 50%.

Zero-Order Elimination

Rate of elimination of a drug is constant regardless of the concentration.

Hepatic portal vein

Major source of blood coming back from the intestines.

hepatic sinusoids

Capillary beds in the liver are known as ____, with holes for filtration

Hepatic stellate cells

Cells that store Vitamin A, regenerate liver after injury, and are involved in liver fibrosis

Sinusoidal faces

Surfaces of hepatocytes facing sinusoids

Lateral faces

Surfaces of hepatocytes in contact with other hepatocytes

Bile acids

Breaks up large fat globules into small droplets

Paracetamol toxicity

Most common overdose in the UK

Functions of the liver

Drug metabolism, synthesis of clotting factor

Structures of the biliary tree

Cystic duct, hepatic duct, gall bladder