Human anatomy of liver and functions

Anatomy of liver :-

Human anatomy of liver consists of macroscopic and microscopic anatomy.  liver is one of the vital organ in the body. Liver is situated in the abdominal cavity and protected by ribs. the upper surface is convex and lies beneath the diaphragm, the under surface is irregular and presents the transverse fissure. Liver has it’s own functions such as storage, metabolization, etc. Most commonly affecting disease of liver is hepatitis. liver is also the largest gland in the body. It is pinkish brown in colour.  It weighs nearly 1.5 to 1.65 kilograms.

medical term used to indicate liver is hepato or hepatic.

* liver has the capacity to regenerate; even with 25% percent of liver tissue itself liver can generate whole liver tissue.
* liver is divided into two main lobes; left and right. and further subdivided into four lobes, right, left, caudate, and quadrate lobe. these lobes are made up of small lobules which are polyhedral in shape.

Vessels to liver:-

* hepatic artery : it is the branch of aorta supplies nearly one fifth of the blood to liver; and has an oxygen saturation of 95 to 100%.
* portal vein : it is the collection of splenic vein, and superior mesenteric vein mainly and has an oxygen saturation of only 70%.
* hepatic vein : this vein returns the blood from liver to inferior vena cava.
* bile ducts : they collect the bile secreted from liver cells.

Microscopic structure of liver:-

The liver cells are called as hepatocytes and are polyhedral cells. these cells contains number of enzymes. hepatocytes are roughly hexagonal in shape, about one million in diameter and separated from each another by a connective tissue. Branches of the portal vein, the hepatic artery and the bile ducts are enclosed together in a connective tissue.  bile is formed in minute spaces in the hepatic cells and discharged through fine bile capillaries or bile canaliculi.