The human liver included in the digestive system creates the conditions for communication with the outside world and life. This is a very large gland, playing a dominant role in neutralizing the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle and the synthesis of bile. The structure and functions of the liver are important and are able to regulate antibacterial, immune, and digestive processes.
Location and description of the authority
Outwardly looking like a mushroom hat, the liver fills the upper abdominal region on the right. Its top touches the 4-5 intercostal space, the bottom is located at the tenth level, and the front part is about the sixth costal cartilage.
The diaphragmatic (upper) face is concave, and the visceral (lower) is divided by three longitudinal grooves. Both faces are separated by a sharp lower edge. The opposite upper back side is considered as a back plane. The weight of the body is an average of one and a half kilograms, and the temperature in it is always high. He can recover himself, as he has the ability to regenerate. But if the liver stops working, a person’s life stops in a couple of days.
Liver value
The functions and role of the liver in the body are difficult to overestimate. Among the organs and glands, it is the largest. In just a minute, the liver passes through itself up to one and a half liters of blood, most of which enters the vessels of the digestive organs, and the rest is responsible for the supply of oxygen. Thus, it can be argued that this organ maintains the health of the body due to blood filtration and restoration of the normal level of carbohydrates and proteins.
The liver has a unique ability to recover. But in the event of loss of more than half of its tissue, a person becomes unviable.
What are the functions of the liver?
In the digestive system, the liver plays a leading role. From the huge variety of its functions can be distinguished such as:
- plasma protein production;
- detoxification
- transformation into ammonia urea;
- thermoregulation;
- continuous production of bile;
- synthesis of enzymes and hormones involved in the digestion process;
- neutralization of exogenous and endogenous types of substances, vitamins, residual metabolic products and hormones, as well as their removal from the body;
- normalization of lipid metabolism;
- normalization of blood coagulation and digestion, as well as the metabolism of vitamins and carbohydrate metabolism;
- the degeneration of vitamin A into carotene.
Detoxification function
It consists in the disinfection of harmful substances that enter the body with blood through the digestive organs through the portal vein, and their neutralization. The blood flowing through this vessel contains not only nutrients, but also toxins that got there as a result of digestion of food. In the small intestine, a large number of different processes take place simultaneously. Among them are putrefactive, due to which harmful substances (phenol, cresol, skatol, indole, etc.) arise. Compounds that are not characteristic of the human body also include hazardous substances contained in tobacco smoke and near roads, alcohol and pharmacological preparations. All this is absorbed into the blood, and then with it penetrates the liver.
Therefore, the main task of the detoxification function of the liver in the body is the destruction and processing of hazardous compounds and their removal into the intestine along with bile. Filtration takes place using various biological processes, such as methylation, synthesis of protective substances, oxidation, acetylation, reduction.
Another feature of this function is a decrease in the activity of hormones entering the liver.
Excretory
It is carried out due to the secretion of bile, which for the most part consists of water, as well as bile acids, lecithin, cholesterol and pigment - bilirubin. In the process of contact, bile acids and their salts break down fats into small drops, after which the process of their digestion becomes much easier. The absorption of cholesterol, vitamins, calcium salts and insoluble fatty acids is also activated with the help of these acids.
Thanks to this function of the liver, the excretion of juice by the pancreas and the bile formation of the organ itself are stimulated.
But here it should be remembered that normal purification from dangerous blood compounds is possible only if the bile ducts are passable.
Synthetic (metabolic) liver function
Their role is to exchange carbohydrates and proteins, combine the latter with bile acids, and activate vitamins. During protein synthesis, amino acids break down and ammonia becomes neutral urea. More than half of the protein compounds formed in the body undergo quantitative and qualitative changes in the liver. That is why its normal operation determines the same functioning of other systems and organs.
Due to a diseased liver, the level of synthesis of proteins and other substances responsible for the protective function of the human body decreases.
In carbohydrate metabolism, the liver reproduces glucose from galactose and fructose, and then accumulates it in the form of glycogen. This body keeps the glucose level and concentration constant and does it around the clock.
Glucose provides the vital activity of absolutely all cells of the human body and is a source of energy. If its level decreases, then all organs fail, and first of all, the brain. Extremely low levels of this substance can lead to loss of consciousness and muscle cramps.
Energy
Any organism, including the human one, consists of structural units - cells. In their nuclei there is information encrypted in nucleic acid, due to which all cells have essentially the same structure. Despite this, they perform different functions. But such a purpose depends on the program embedded in the kernel.
All cells require an external source of energy for normal existence, feeding them if necessary. It is the human liver that serves as a reserve resource of energy reserves stored and synthesized in the form of triglycerides, glycogens and proteins.
Barrier
Among the tasks performed by this body, this is perhaps the most important. The blood supply here is unique because of the special anatomy, because blood flows here directly from the veins and arteries. The barrier function of the liver limits the harmful effects of toxic and chemical substances. This happens due to several biochemical processes (dissolution in water, oxidation and decomposition of hazardous compounds by glucuronic acid and taurine) carried out by enzymes.
If serious poisoning develops in the body, creatine synthesis begins in the liver, and bacteria and parasites are eliminated from it along with urea. With the help of homeostasis, partially performed in this organ, microelements synthesized in it are thrown into the blood.
The human liver performs the functions of a barrier only if a certain amount of protein is regularly ingested. To do this, you need to eat and drink enough water daily.
Impaired liver function
Violation of any liver function can lead to a pathological condition. There are a lot of reasons that affect the violation of the process, but the main ones are unbalanced nutrition, excess weight, and alcohol.
Such violations contribute to the occurrence of a violation of water metabolism, which is manifested by edema. Immunity becomes low, and, as a result, constant colds. Nervous disorders can also occur, manifested in frequent headaches, irritability, insomnia and depression. Blood coagulation worsens, leading to bleeding. Digestion is disturbed, because of it there is a decrease in appetite, nausea and constipation. The skin may become dry and severe itching appears. Pathological processes contribute to hair loss and diabetes, acne and obesity.
Quite often, doctors begin to treat the symptoms listed above, without noticing at the same time which liver functions have suffered. This organ does not have nerve endings, so very often when it is destroyed, a person does not experience pain.
Regeneration and age-related changes
Until now, science has not fully explored liver regeneration. It is proved that after the defeat, the matter of the organ is able to be updated. And this contributes to the division of genetic information found in the usual set of chromosomes. Therefore, cells are synthesized even when part of it is removed. Liver functions are restored, and the size increases to the original.
Specialists studying regeneration claim that organ renewal takes place from three months to six months. But, according to recent studies, he recovers after surgery for three weeks.
The situation may worsen due to scarring of the tissue. This leads to liver failure and the replacement of a healthy cell. But upon regeneration of the required volume, cell division ceases.
Due to the increase in age, the structure and functionality of the liver are changing. It reaches its maximum size by the age of forty, and then its weight and size become smaller. The upgrade ability is gradually decreasing. The production of globulins and albumin is also decreasing. There is a slight decrease in glycogen function and fat metabolism. There are also differences in the composition and volume of bile. But at the level of life activity such changes are not displayed.
If the liver is kept in order, cleaned regularly, then it works all its life. This organ is a little aging. And periodic medical examinations will help to identify various changes in the early stages and prevent the development of complications.