Liver: Liver is the largest internal organ of the human body, weighting approximately 1.5 kg. Anatomically the liver consists of four lobes: two larger ones (right and left) and two smaller ones(quadrate and caudate). Histologically speaking, it has a complex microscopic structure, that can be viewed from several different angles. In his article we will discuss the histology of liver.
 |
| Histology Of Liver(https://biologynotes3.blogspot.in/) |
Histology Of Liver:
General Characteristics of Liver:
1) As the body grows from infancy to adulthood the liver rapidly increases in size.
2) This period of growth reaches a plateau around 18 years and is followed by a gradual decrease in the liver weight from middle age.
3) The weights of liver is approximately 5% to the body weight in infancy and it decreases approximately 2% in adult.
4) The size varies according to sex,age and body size of the liver .
5) Throughout life the liver is reddish brown in colour, although this can vary depending uponthe fat content
Functions of Liver:
1) Formation of cholesterol : The liver manufactures about half of the body's cholesterol. The rest comes from food. Most of the cholesterol made by the liver is used to make bile, a greenish yellow, thick, sticky fluid that aids in digestion. Cholesterol is also important to make certain hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, and the adrenal hormones, and is a vital component of every cell membrane
2) Synthetic function:
All the plasma proteins except gamma globulin fraction are synthesized in liver.
All the plasma proteins except gamma globulin fraction are synthesized in liver.
3) Storage:
In liver stored many of the vitamins, glycogen, iron, etc.
4) Hemopoietic function:
In fetal life liver, liver is one of the sites of erythropoiesis.
5) Breaks down toxic substances: The liver also breaks down harmful or toxic substances (toxins) absorbed from the intestine or manufactured elsewhere in the body and then excretes them as harmless by-products into the bile or blood. By-products excreted into bile enter the intestine, then leave the body in stool. By-products excreted into blood are filtered out by the kidneys, then leave the body in urine.
6) Inactivation of hormones:
Most of the hormones especially steroidal group of hormones is inactivated in liver.