Many people are very irresponsible about he alth. Along with the lucky ones who do not even know where the human liver is, since they have never experienced any problems with it, there are many those whose carelessness caused her serious diseases. This article will tell about the structural features of this organ and what can cause malfunctions in its functioning.
Appointment of authority
The human liver is a vital digestive gland for him. It is entrusted with a large number of physiological duties, and it is the largest of the glands in all vertebrate organisms.
The functions of the liver in the human body are:
- Decontamination of poisons, allergens and toxins that enter the body by turning them into less toxic or compounds that are more easily removed from the body naturally.
- Carbohydrate regulationexchange.
- Providing the body with glucose by converting glycerol, free fatty acids, lactic acid, amino acids and other substances.
- Removal from the body and neutralization of excess hormones, vitamins, mediators, as well as toxic metabolic products such as ammonia, phenol, acetone, etc.
- Synthesis of bilirubin.
- Replenishment and storage of glycogen stores, vitamins A, D, B12, copper, iron and cob alt cations.
- Participation in the metabolism of vitamins A, C, PP, D, B, E, K and folic acid.
- Synthesis of albumins, alpha- and betaglobulins, etc. in the fetus during its intrauterine development.
- Synthesis of lipids and phospholipids, cholesterol, lipoproteins, etc., as well as regulation of lipid metabolism.
- Storage of a significant amount of blood that is released into the general vascular bed during shock or blood loss due to vasoconstriction that provides blood supply to the liver.
- Bile acid synthesis.
- Production and secretion of bile.
- Synthesis of hormones and enzymes involved in the transformation of food in the duodenum and other parts of the small intestine.
The liver controls the pH level in human blood. If the nutrients are absorbed correctly, a certain pH level is maintained. With the use of sugar, alcohol, and other products, excess acid is formed, which changes the pH level. Since the secretion of hepatic bile (pH 7.5−8) is close to alkaline, it allows you to keep this blood indicator close to normal. It purifies the blood andincrease in immune threshold.
Where is the human liver
Oddly enough, many people who have deep knowledge in various fields do not know the structure of their body at all. Many have no idea which side of the human liver (a photo of the organ can be seen above).
For those who don't know, let's say that this organ is located in the abdominal cavity, below the diaphragm. More precisely, it is located on the right side of the peritoneum. Its lower part reaches the last right ribs, and the upper part occupies the entire space located between the left and right nipples. Thus, this organ is protected from impact by the skeleton.
Location
The liver of an adult is a voluminous glandular organ weighing 1.5 kg. It produces bile and removes it through the duct into the duodenum 12. The upper surface of the liver is convex in relation to the concave diaphragm, to which it fits snugly.
The lower surface of the organ is facing down and back. She has indentations from her adjacent abdominal viscera.
The upper surface of the human liver is separated from the lower surface by a sharp lower edge known as the margo inferior.
The other edge of the organ, the superior posterior one, is so blunt that it is considered to be the surface of the liver.
The structure of the human liver
It is customary to distinguish between 2 parts of this organ: a large right and a smaller left. On the diaphragmatic surface, they are separated by a falciform ligament. In its free edge there is a dense fibrouscircular ligament of the liver extending from the navel. During fetal development, it was an umbilical vein, and after overgrown and ceased to perform the function of blood supply.
Bending over the lower edge of the human liver, the round ligament forms a notch. It lies in the left longitudinal groove located on the visceral surface of this organ. Thus, the round ligament represents the border between the left and right lobes of the human liver (photo can be seen above).
A deep transverse groove on the visceral surface is called the gates of the liver. Lymphatic vessels and the common hepatic duct, which carries out bile, exit through it.
For most of its length, the liver is covered with peritoneum. The exception is part of its posterior surface, in which the liver is adjacent to the diaphragm.
Features of the liver and interaction with the gallbladder
The main component of this organ is the liver lobule. It is formed due to a special connecting capsule. The hepatic lobule consists of venules, hepatocytes and arterioles that form the bile ducts. One of them goes to the duodenum, and the other goes to the gallbladder.
The last organ is located under the gates of the liver. It "lies" on the duodenum and extends to the outer edge of the main filter of the human body. Outwardly, the gallbladder resembles a pear 12-18 cm long. It consists of a body, a tapering neck and a wider bottom.
Segmental structure
There are 5 tubular systems in the liver:
- arteries,
- biliary tract,
- portal vein branches;
- hepatic veins;
- lymphatic vessels.
The scheme of the structure of the liver includes: caudate lobe, right posterior and anterior segments, left lateral segments and medial particle. The first segment is the caudate hepatic lobule. It has clear boundaries with other segments. The second and third particles are separated by the venous ligament, and the fourth segment is detached by the hepatic hilum. The right hepatic and inferior vena cava separate the 1st segment from the 7th segment region.
The left lobe occupies the second and third segments, the boundaries of which coincide with the boundaries of the plot. The square hepatic lobe corresponds to the fourth segment, which lacks clear boundaries separating its right and left hepatic lobules.
5th segment is located behind the gallbladder, and the 6th segment is below. The segmental structure of the liver ends with the 8th, so-called "reed" segment.
Sizes
Where is the human liver (a photo of the location of the organ can be seen below) at the time of his birth? This question is often asked by young mothers. I must say that the liver in infants is located in the same place as in adults. However, this organ occupies most of their abdominal cavity. It is considered that the size of the liver in a child is within the normal range if the organ occupies 1/20 of his body, and the weight is 120-150 g.
For a young person, the last indicator is usually 1200-1500 g, and for an adult, as already mentioned, 1500-1700 g.
The right lobe is 1 cm 1 mm long- 1 cm 5 mm and a layer size of 11 cm 2 mm - 11 cm 6 mm, and on the left, the last indicator is about 7 cm.
The slant size of the right side is up to 1 cm 5 mm.
The length and height of the left side of the organ is about 10 cm.
The width of the liver as a whole is 2 - 2.25 cm. The length of the organ is 14 - 18 cm.
What are the signs that the organ is affected
The fact that some do not know where the liver is located in a person causes her disease to become more severe, and sometimes even incurable. So how do you recognize liver problems?
If you begin to notice frequent pain in the right hypochondrium and heaviness, and you also have a bitter taste in your mouth and a feeling of nausea, then hurry to the doctor. All these signs may indicate one of the many diseases of this organ. It is necessary to immediately seek medical help and in no case self-medicate, as this will only aggravate the situation. In addition, many human liver diseases are directly dependent on their diet. To reduce the risk of problems with this organ, it is required to exclude fatty and spicy foods, as well as alcohol.
Most Common Liver Diseases
Diseases of this organ in most cases at the initial stage proceed without symptoms, since the functions of the human liver are preserved, even if the organ has lost up to 80 percent of its initial mass.
Thus, even those who know well where a person has a liver cannot alwaysrecognize the problem.
Causes of liver disease
They are:
- Exchange violations. A problem at any stage of metabolism almost always leads to changes in the cells of that organ. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle, coupled with bad habits and improper and irregular nutrition, contributes to the occurrence of liver pathology due to metabolic disorders.
- Viral etiology. Hepatitis of this origin is the most common pathology of this organ. They are of various types, denoted by capital Latin letters from A to G. Such viruses enter the body through the blood enterally and sexually. They pose a real threat to hepatocytes and can lead to serious complications, including cirrhosis and tumors.
- Intake or synthesis in the body itself of a large number of various toxins. Hepatocytes play a leading role in their disinfection. They are a kind of barrier on the "highway" from the digestive tract to the bloodstream of the human body. Hepatocytes, acting as a biofilter, are involved in the neutralization of not only toxins coming from outside, but also formed during and after the processes of metabolism and digestion. Poor nutrition, alcohol, and environmental issues worsen the functioning of liver cells over time. The constant supply of toxins interferes with the restoration of the liver reserve. A chronic process occurs in the organ, which significantly affects its functions.
- Helminthiases. There are about 400 types of parasites in the human body. Oftena source of problems for the liver are echinococcus and trematodes. The cycle of development and migration of most parasites lies through the blood vessels, so they sooner or later enter the hepatic parenchyma.
- Oncological diseases of the liver. Benign or malignant tumors may appear on the parenchyma of this organ. The reason for their development can be failures in the processes of differentiation and division, as well as cell apoptosis.
- Autoimmune causes. Many liver diseases are caused by immune disorders. Antibodies against tissues and cells of the hepatic parenchyma circulate in the human body. Constant damaging effect causes sclerosis of the parenchyma, and also leads to the destruction of its normal components and their replacement with special connective tissue fibers. Autoimmune disorders include this type of hepatitis, sclerosing primary cholangitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis.
Hepatitis A
The most common is this type A pathology. It is referred to as foodborne infections. Hepatitis A is transmitted by food and household contact. The main reason for the high incidence of this pathology is the neglect of the rules of personal hygiene. The danger is also the contamination of reservoirs, which are a source of drinking water.
Hepatitis type A is the mildest form of viral liver damage, as the body itself is able to cope with the infection. Treatment includes strict adherence to diet and hygiene.
Hepatitis B and C
ViralHepatitis B and C are transmitted through blood and sexual contact. In the first case, this can happen, for example, during medical procedures, piercings and tattoos.
More chances of cure in patients with acute disease. In such cases, patients are prescribed symptomatic treatment, as well as maintenance and detoxification therapy.
If the disease has already become chronic, then serious antiviral treatment is needed to reduce the risk of developing carcinoma or cirrhosis. Unfortunately, the probability of completely overcoming the pathology is only 10-15 percent, and the most effective alpha-interferons, which are analogues of nucleosides, have side effects and can cause complications.
The situation is even worse with hepatitis C. For its treatment, antiviral agents are combined with the drug "Ribavirin". In parallel with this drug, immunomodulators are prescribed, as well as detoxification agents. The main task is to stop the reproduction of viral particles. Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing fibrosis, which is a manifestation of life-threatening cirrhosis of the hepatic parenchyma.
Diseases due to metabolic disorders
The palm belongs to fatty hepatosis, or fatty liver. Such diseases are the result of a failure of lipid metabolism at the macroorganism level. If the body is affected by fatty hepatosis, then a large amount of fatty inclusions are deposited in hepatocytes, and the size of the human liver increases sharply in volume. The symptoms of the disease appear inthe form of disorders that are characteristic of many diseases.
The main causes of such problems are arterial hypertension, regular alcohol abuse, as well as type 2 diabetes, sudden weight loss and taking drugs from the category of glucocorticosteroids. If there is a combination of several of these factors, then this leads to an increased risk of fatty hepatosis.
Hemochromatosis
A fairly rare disease of the human liver (located in the right hypochondrium) - hemochromatosis, which is the result of poor heredity. If a person suffers from such a pathology, then a large amount of iron is absorbed from the cavity of his intestines. The consequence of the disease is its accumulation in various organs, primarily in hepatocytes. Excess iron has an extremely negative effect on intracellular processes. Entering into reactions, this chemical element destroys the protein, including DNA. Unfortunately, at the moment this disease is incurable, so as a result, cirrhosis of the liver occurs or a tumor develops. In addition, due to the fact that the disease is hereditary, its prevention is out of the question.
Now you know where the human liver is located, what diseases it is prone to, and how to avoid them. We hope you never have to deal with them. Stay he althy!
