This lecture deals with anatomy of liver and physiology of liver. It includes the lobes of liver, structure of liver, location of liver, porta hepatis, the lobules and hepatocytes, kuffer cells, glissons capsule, biliary sytem, portal artery, portal triad, portal vein, functions of liver.

1. ANATOMY OF
LIVER
BY : MS. SAILI GAUDE
PRINCIPAL
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF
NURSING, AMIRGADH

2. INTRODUCTION
Largest gland of the body
Accessory organ of digestion
Second largest organ
Weight – 1500 Grams
Color – reddish brown
Shape - Roughly triangular
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

3. LOCATION
Lies mainly in the right upper quadrant
under the 7th -11th ribs on right side
On top of stomach, right kidney and
intestines
Below the diaphragm
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

4. SURFACES-2
1) DIAPHRAGMATIC SURFACE
•Convex
2) VISCERAL SURFACE
•Concave Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

6. DIAPHRAGMATIC SURFACE
Diaphragmatic surface of the liver is dome
shaped
It is the anterosuperior surface of the liver
Smooth in outline
Convex
Lies below the diaphragm
The posterior aspect of the diaphragmatic
surface is not covered by visceral peritoneum
and is in direct contact with the diaphragm
itself. This part is called as the bare surface of
the liver. It is rough
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

7. VISCERAL SURFACE
Flat or concave
Separated in front from the diaphragmatic surface by sharp inferior
border and behind from the diaphragm by posterior layer of
coronary ligament
It is moulded by the shape of the organ surrounding it
It is irregular and flat
Lies in contact with right kidney, right adrenal glands,gallbladder
esophagus and stomach
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

10. On the visceral surface, the liver is divided into 4 lobes :
Right lobe - right of fossa of gall bladder
Left lobe - left fissure
Caudate lobe – inferior surface
Quadrate lobe – posterior surface
The right and left lobe is separated by a ligament called falciform
ligament
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

12. PORTA HEPATIS
Separating the caudate and quadrate lobes is a deep transverse
fissure – known as porta hepatis
It transmits all vessels, nerves and ducts entering or leaving the liver
with the exception of the hepatic veins
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

14. MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURES
Microscopically the cells of the liver are called as the hepatocytes.
They are arranged into lobules
These are the structural units of liver
Each anatomical lobule is hexagonal in shape
It is drained by the central vein
At the periphery of the hexagon are three structures collectively
known as the portal triad
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

16. STRUCTURE
1. Hepatic lobes : liver is made up of many lobes called hepatic lobes.
Each lobes consists of many lobules called hepatic lobules
2. Hepatic lobules : is the structural and functional unit of liver. There
are about 50000 to 1000000 lobules in the liver. The lobule is a
honeycomb like structure and it is made up of liver cells called
hepatocytes
3. Hepatocytes and Hepatic plates : hepatocytes are arranged in
columns which form the hepatic plates
Each plate is made up 2 columns of cells. In between the 2 columns
of each plate lies a bile canaliculus
Liver also contains special macrophages called as the Kuffer cells Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

20. PORTAL TRIAD
Arteriole : a branch of the hepatic artery entering the liver
Venule : a branch of the hepatic portal vein entering the liver
Bile duct : branch of the bile duct leaving the liver
The portal triad also contains lymphatic vessels and vagus nerve
fibres
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

22. BILE CANALICULUS
Bile is secreted by hepatic cells and
emptied into bile canaliculus
From the canaliculus, the bile
enters the tributary of bile duct and
finally from left and right hepatic
ducts which emerge out of liver
Branches of hepatic artery and
portal vein open into the sinusoid.
Sinusoid opens into the central
vein.
Central vein empties into hepatic
vein
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

23. GLISSON’S CAPSULE
The liver is covered by a fibrous
layer known as the Glisson’s
capsule. When this capsule is
stretched it can cause pain.
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

24. LIGAMENTS OF LIVER
1. Falciform ligament attaches anterior surface of the liver to the
anterior abdominal wall
2. Coronary ligament – attaches superior surface of the liver to the
inferior surface of the diaphragm
3. Triangular ligament – left triangular ligament attaches the left lobe
of the liver to the diaphragm and the right triangular ligament
attaches the right lobe of the liver to the diaphragm
4. Lesser omentum – attaches the liver to the lesser curvature of the
stomach and first part of the duodenum.
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

28. BLOOD VESSELS
Hepatic artery (25%)- supplies arterial blood to the non parenchymal
tissues of the liver
Hepatic portal vein (75%) – supplies liver with deoxygenated blood
and carries nutrients absorbed from the small intestine which is than
detoxified
Hepatic veins- venous drainage of liver is carried out by the hepatic
vein which than drains into the inferior vena cava
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

30. NERVE SUPPLY
Hepatic plexus
Lower intercostal nerve
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

31. FUNCTIONS
DETOXIFICATION
Regulates chemical levels in blood and excretes a product called bile.
Helps detoxify blood as all blood from stomach and intestine passes
through the liver
Clearing the blood of drugs and other poisonous substances
METABOLISM
Processes blood, breakdowns, balances and creates nutrients and
metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the
body or that are non toxic
Production of bile Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

32. FUNCTIONS
BILE PRODUCTION
Produces bile which helps carry waste and break down fats in the
small intestine during digestion
PLASMA PROTEIN PRODUCTION
Produces plasma proteins like albumin
CHOLESTEROL FORMATION
Formation of cholesterol and special proteins that help carry fats
through the body Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

33. FUNCTION
GLUCOSE METABOLISM
Converts glucose to glycogen for storage
Balances and makes glucose as needed
PROTEIN METABOLISM
Regulates the blood levels of amino acids which form the building
blocks of proteins
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

34. FUNCTIONS
IRON
Processing hemoglobin for use of its iron content
Stores iron
PRODUCTION OF UREA
Conversion of poisonous ammonia to urea. Urea is an end product of
protein metabolism and is excreted in the urine
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

35. FUNCTIONS
REGULATION OF COAGULATION
Regulating blood clotting
Production and release of clotting factors
Synthesis of factors required for blood coagulation
IMMUNITY
Resisting infections by making immune factors and removing bacteria
from the blood stream
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING

36. FUNCTIONS
BILIRUBIN CLEARANCE
Clears bilirubin from Red Blood Cells thus preventing jaundice.
Jaundice is accumulation of bile which leads to yellow discoloration of
skin and eyes
Ms. SAILI GAUDE
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING