LIVER ANATOMY &

FUNCTIONS
THE LIVER
● The largest internal body organ
● The largest gland
● Found in the upper abdominal cavity: extends from right upper quadrant to left upper quadrant of
the abdomen
● Attached to diaphragm by: falciform and coronary ligaments, left and right triangular ligaments
BLOOD SUPPLY

● The liver receives a dual blood supply from the hepatic portal vein and hepatic arteries
● The hepatic portal vein delivers approximately 75% of the liver's blood supply, and carries venous
blood drained from the spleen, gastrointestinal tract, and its associated organs
● The hepatic arteries supply arterial blood to the liver, accounting for the remaining quarter of its
blood flow
● Blood flows through the liver sinusoids and empties into the central vein of each lobule
● The central veins coalesce into hepatic veins, which leave the liver and drain into the inferior vena
cava
LIVER SURFACES
1. Diaphragmatic surface in the anterior, superior and posterior directions
2. Visceral surface in the inferior surface
● There are, on the surface, 4 lobes: right, left, caudate and quadrate
● The falciform ligament divides the liver into two main lobes, right and left, with the right lobe being
the larger and is subdivided into the right lobe proper, the caudate lobe and the quadrate lobe
DIAPHRAGMATIC SURFACE
● Is smooth and domed, and lies against the inferior surface of the diaphragm
● Associated with it are the subphrenic and hepatorenal recesses
● Subphrenic recess separates the diaphragmatic surface of the liver from the diaphragm and is
divided into left and right areas by the falciform ligament
● Hepatorenal recess is a part of the peritoneal cavity on the right side between the liver and the
right kidney and the right adrenal gland
VISCERAL SURFACE
● Is covered with visceral peritoneum except in the fossa for gallbladder and at the porta hepatis and
structures related to it
● Porta hepatis serves as the point of entry into the liver for the hepatic arteries and the portal vein
and the exit point for the hepatic ducts
LOBES
● Liver is divided into the right and left lobes by fossae for the gallbladder and the IVC
● The right lobe is the largest lobe, the left is smaller
● The caudate and the quadrate lobes are described as arising from the right lobe, but functionally
are distinct:

1.Quadrate lobe is visible on the upper part of the visceral surface of the liver, but functionally it is
related to the left lobe

2. Caudate lobe is visible on the lower part of the visceral surface and functionally is separate from the
right and left lobes of the liver
LIVER FUNCTIONS
● It has a wide range of functions
● Detoxification
● Protein synthesis
● Glycogen storage
● Decomposition of RBCs
● Plasma protein synthesis
● Hormone production
● Major role in metabolism
 ROLE IN CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM

● The liver synthesizes and stores approximately 100g of glycogen via glycogenesis, the formation of glycogen
from glucose
● When needed, the liver releases glucose into the blood by performing glycogenolysis, the breakdown of
glycogen into glucose.
● The liver is also responsible for gluconeogenesis, which is the synthesis of glucose from certain amino acids,
lactate or glycerol.
ROLE IN PROTEIN METABOLISM
● The liver is responsible for the mainstay of protein metabolism, synthesis as well as degradation
● It is also responsible for a large part of amino acid synthesis
ROLES IN DIGESTION OF FAT
● It produces bile, stored in the gallbladder
● Cholesterol synthesis
● Lipogenesis, the production of triglycerides
● Majority of the lipoproteins are synthesized in the liver
SYNTHESIS OF THE COAGULATION FACTORS
● The liver produces coagulation factors I (fibrinogen), II (prothrombin), V, VII, VIII IX, X, XI, and XIII,
as well as protein C (anticoagulant), protein S (protein C cofactor) and antithrombin
RED BLOOD CELL PRODUCTION IN FETUS
● In the first trimester, the liver is the main site of red blood cell production
● By the 32nd week of gestation, bone marrow almost completely takes over that task
ROLE IN CHILDHOOD GROWTH
● The liver also produces insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a polypeptide protein hormone that
plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effect in adults
 PRODUCTION OF THROMBOPOIETIN

● The liver is a major site of thrombopoietin production, a glycoprotein hormone that regulates the production
of platelets by the bone marrow
BREAKDOWN
● Breakdown of insulin
● The liver glucoronidates bilirubin, facilitating its secretion into bile
● The liver breaks down or modifies toxic substances (e.g. methylation) and most medicinal products
in a process called drug metabolism
● It converts ammonia to urea (urea cycle)
OTHER FUNCTIONS
● The liver stores a multitude of substances, including glucose (in the form of glycogen), vitamin A (1-
2 years supply), vitamin D (1-4 months supply), vitamin B12 (1-3 years supply), vitamin K, iron and
copper
● The liver is responsible for immunological effects—the mononuclear phagocyte system of the liver
contains many immunologically active cells, acting as a 'sieve' for antigens carried to it via the
portal system
● Production of albumin
● Synthesis of angiotensin