Essential Idea:
The chemical composition of the
blood is regulated by the liver
Understandings:
- The liver intercepts blood from the gut to regulate nutrient levels
- Some nutrients in excess can be stored in the liver
- Surplus cholesterol is converted into bile salts
- The liver removes toxins from the blood and detoxifies them
- Endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in hepatocytes produce plasma proteins
- Components of red blood cells are recycled by the liver
- The breakdown of erythrocytes starts with phagocytosis of red blood cells by Kupffer cells
- Iron is carried to the bone marrow to produce haemoglobin in new red blood cells
Applications:
- Dual blood supply to the liver and differences between sinusoids and capillaries
- Causes and consequences of jaundice