Essay on The Liver

Submitted By vsccrn2b123
Words: 630
Pages: 3
Open Document
The Liver

The Liver
The liver is an incredible and necessary asset to the human body. It is the largest visceral organ in the body, weighs approximately 3 kilograms and holds about a pint of blood. It works alone or in conjunction with other organs such as the gallbladder or the pancreas to provide critical processes needed for life. As an accessory organ, the liver produces bile and then partners with the gallbladder for its storage. Bile is needed to carry waste and the breakdown of fats during digestion. The liver also works with the pancreas in regulating blood glucose levels by converting excess carbohydrates to glycogen or the break-down of amino acids to form glucose – which is needed for energy.
The liver is responsible for hundreds of other functions throughout the body. It is essential for the process of nutrients obtained from food and detoxifies poisonous chemicals from substances such as alcohol and drugs. It processes hemoglobin for its iron which is stored in reserve in the liver, along with vitamins A, D, & K. It is necessary for the “synthesis of clotting factors such as fibrinogen, prothrombin, factors V, VII, IX, & X” (Porth, 2011, p. 732). It manufactures new plasma proteins and converts the waste from amino acids in the form of ammonia to urea which is then excreted by the kidneys. The liver also plays a role with the body’s immunity by removing bacteria from the bloodstream through Kupffer cells.
In a healthy individual, the liver carries out its responsibilities and provides nutrient rich blood through its dual blood supply via the portal vein and the hepatic artery. When the liver becomes damaged or is no longer able to filter, liver failure occurs. “Portal hypertension is characterized by increased resistance to flow in the portal venous system and the sustained increased in portal venous pressure; the consequences are ascites, the formation of collateral bypass channels from the portosystemic circulation and splenomegaly” (Porth, 2011, p. 751).

Liver failure is life-threatening and can occur rapidly or over an extended period of time. Acute liver failure can be caused by an overdose of hepatotoxic medications such as Tylenol and by viruses such as Hepatitis A, B or C ("WebMD," 2012, para. 4). Chronic liver failure, which can occur over months or years, can be caused by Hepatitis B or C, alcohol use, cirrhosis, or malnutrition.
Liver failure affects the body in a variety of ways. The blood is affected by increased incidence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, coagulation
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on The Liver

Liver Lab

The hypothesis being stated was, if the pH of living cells in beef liver is related to the buffer solutions when acids and bases are added, the liver will respond most like the buffers than water. The hypothesis was supported by the data presented in the graph because it demonstrated that the constant pH of liver acted more like the buffers than the wildly changing pH of the tap water. Both buffers stayed relatively at the same pH level with the addition of bases (NaOH) and acids (HCL). Buffer #1…

Words 448 - Pages 2

Liver Disease

Liver: Largest internal organ and gland Gerontologic Consideration of Liver Disease Increase liver disease rate with age because of liver structure changes with age Decrease liver volume – Because liver size will change with age Decrease in hepatobilary function Decrease drug metabolism: which increases the vulnerability for drug-induced hepatitis and increase risk for drug interactions Decrease ability to respond to injury Hepatitis Most common cause for liver inflammation is viral infection…

Words 4030 - Pages 17

Liver Cancer Essay

LIVER CANCER Liver cancer or hepatic cancer is a cancer that originates in the liver. Liver cancers are malignant tumors that grow on the surface or inside the liver. There are many forms of liver cancer, although many cancers found in the liver are metastases from other tumors. The most frequent liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma. About 4 of 5 cancers that start in the liver are this type. HCC can have different growth patterns; some begin as a single tumor that grows…

Words 807 - Pages 4

Liver Cancer Essay

Liver Cancer Schonathan Crews BIOL1410 1B Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. It accounts for more than 600,000 deaths each year. Most people that are diagnosed with liver cancer are men 45 years or older. The majority of the time when cancer is found in the liver, it originated elsewhere in the body. The only time cancer found in the liver is called “liver cancer” is when the cancer originated in the liver. (American, 2014) Liver cancer mainly…

Words 605 - Pages 3

Fatty Liver Essay

Nguyen MCB181R Vince Guerriero Fatty Liver Fatty liver is the condition when there is excessively extra amount of fat in liver, over five percent of liver weigh. Fatty liver has become a new issue, as up to twenty percent of Americans have the condition (“When the Liver Gets Fatty”), and it is one of the most common factor for the development of liver dysfunctional diseases. Long term fatty liver can process into liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Fatty liver is also found to correlate to insulin resistance…

Words 1275 - Pages 6

Liver Transplant Essay

Liver Transplant A liver transplant is a last resort! (Sorry, you don’t get a liver just because you don’t feel good) Once your liver has become decompensated (unstable), you will most likely experience following symptoms on more than one occasion: Ascites, Hepatic Encephalolpathy, and/or Esophageal Varices UNOS uses 3 lab results that determine your MELD. Your INR, your Creatine level, and your bilirubin. Your INR calculates how fast your blood clots. Your Creatine calculates your kidney…

Words 344 - Pages 2

The Role of the Liver Essay

The Role of the Liver Can you live without your liver? Why or why not? • You can, but I would say no more than a week max. The liver can loser a little over ¾ of it cells before it stops functioning, plus it is the only organ that can regenerate itself. The liver cleanses the blood of bacteria and foreign material. It is necessary for bile production which ultimately helps emulsify fats which fosters their absorption. The liver conjugates bilirubin with glucuronic acid which is excreted in the…

Words 1459 - Pages 6

Liver Cancer Research Paper

In liver cancer malignant tissue forms in the liver. Frequently, the discomforts of liver cancer do not occur until long after they appear. Liver cancer is detected at an advanced stage, many liver tumors are discovered quite late. Hepatocarcinoma occurs mainly in the context of liver damage caused by chronic infection of hepatitis B virus or C, alcoholic cirrhosis, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The disease consisting of an accumulation of fat and inflammation of the liver and that occurs in…

Words 317 - Pages 2

Liver Biopsy Research Paper

Liver Biopsy- A biopsy is a procedure in which a small sample of liver tissue is taken and examined under a microscope. You may undergo this procedure if your physician suspects that you have liver damage as a result of chemotherapy. Looking at the tissue is the best way to determine if the cells are healthy or damaged. A CT scan creates a very sensitive, three-dimensional picture of your body. You will receive an injection containing a small amount of radioactive dye. The special camera can detect…

Words 443 - Pages 2

Hepatitis C and Damaged Liver Cells Essay

doctors and scientist are becoming available to manage, and potentially cure hepatitis C. At the same time, we're continually discovering and learning how to use approved medications much more easily and effectively. Although their effects on the liver and the symptoms they produce can be similar, the same types of hepatitis are produce in different ways. In the case of same hepatitis, the duration of the disease are determined by virus that caused it. Various hepatitis can cause for people to have…

Words 721 - Pages 3