Anaesthesia Fundamentals | Physiology | Functional Liver Anatomy and Blood Supply

Functional Liver Anatomy and Blood Supply
Session overview
Description
Knowledge of liver function is essential for all clinicians. Understanding its unique functional structure underpins this knowledge

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Differentiate between the gross anatomical and functional liver structure
• Recognise the blood supply
• Recall the regulation of blood flow in the liver
• Identify the liver acinus, and describe its blood flow and function
• Indicate the relation between sinusoids, hepatocytes and Kupffer cells
• List the main functions of mitochondria, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulae in hepatocytes, and explain the purpose of the microvilli
• Explain biliary drainage

The liver is a unique organ with endocrine and exocrine functions, that also acts as a blood filter. It has a dual blood supply from the arterial and portal circulations, and is the first organ any substance that passes through the intestinal wall reaches before entering the systemic circulation. As such, it has the ability to destroy, modify or excrete all substances.