Liver - this is one of the largest and most important organs of the human body. The mass of the liver is about 3% by weight of an adult human body. It is located under the right liver dome diaphragm. The upper convex portion of the liver adjacent to the diaphragm. Somewhat concave from below the liver and converted to the abdominal organs.
There are right and the left lobe of the liver. Front and upper lobe of the liver are divided falciform ligament of the liver, which performs a supporting role. In the position of a man lying on his back just below the liver edge palpable arc, on inspiration, it drops to 2-3 cm below. The lower position of the liver is detected when it is enlarged.
Bottom right of the liver adjacent to the gallbladder. Next to the gallbladder are the so-called Gate of the liver. This is where the liver and the fall out of her blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerves, bile ducts. On its own hepatic artery to the liver comes arterial blood, and the portal vein - venous blood from the abdominal cavity, and the mass of the venous blood entering the liver, at 3-5 times the mass of the arterial blood.
Next, the vessels of the liver to the smallest branch - the sinusoids. Sinusoids are surrounded by liver cells - hepatocytes. Hepatocyte has two poles. Sine the pole adjacent to the sinusoid. The second pole is adjacent to the biliary and bile canaliculi.
Between the epithelial cells that make up the hull of the vessel in a single layer and the membrane of liver cells is the free space - the space of Disse, in which the blood get different matter. The surface of the liver cell (hepatocyte) is covered with microvilli. Hepatocyte microvilli captured by the space of Disse and sinusoids (sinusoidal pole of hepatocytes), the various products of metabolism and necessary for the formation of bile components. Then, in the liver cell is processing these materials and their transportation to the biliary pole, where the bile.
The blood flowing from the liver through the hepatic veins, which empty into the inferior vena cava. Thus, blood from the organs located in the abdomen first passes through the liver, free from toxic products, sucked into the intestine, and only then goes to the heart.
Liver cells - hepatocytes - form cloves. Between the slices are interlobular bile ducts, which is going to hepatocytes formed bile. Interlobular ducts form a segmental, and then assessed the ducts, which are then collected in the common bile duct, bile outflow from the liver through the gates of the liver.
The liver performs a variety of functions in the body. Metabolic liver function - is involved in metabolism. In the liver, some proteins are formed. This albumin and a large number of proteins involved in blood coagulation. The collapse of many proteins that have fulfilled their function, as occurs in the liver. Here are synthesized substances such as glutamine (one of the essential amino acids), creatinine and urea. Bile is formed by hepatocytes, is involved in the metabolism of fats, their decomposition and absorption in the intestine. In liver cells, is a synthesis of triglycerides, phospholipids and bile acids and cholesterol.
The liver is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates. In hepatocytes from carbohydrates and non-sugar substances are glycogen synthesis, which is stored in the liver and is consumed with the needs of the organism in glucose.
Metabolic products of hemoglobin, many hormones and vitamins are also split, processed and displayed liver.
Excretory and secretory function of the liver involves the allocation of the bile and excretion from the body through the intestines products of metabolism - cholesterol, bilirubin. Inactivated in the liver and eliminated many of the drugs.
The barrier function of the liver is to remove from the blood that is flowing from the intestine and the abdominal cavity and passes through the liver, microbes, their toxins and metabolic products, toxic substances of different origins. The barrier function of the liver is performed by means of chemical transformations of these substances in the hepatocytes and by the immune system - the lymph nodes, liver lymphocytes.
