MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The liver is the second-largest organ in the body. It consists of four lobes, comprised of hundreds of lobules. Each lobule, the basic structural element of the liver, metabolizes carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Lobules process glucose, the sugar that is the main energy source for cells. Glucose from the digestive tract flows into the lobules where hepatocytes, the primary cell type in the liver, store excess glucose as glycogen, and distribute glucose to the body. Hepatocytes also secrete bile, which helps the body digest lipids. Kupffer cells reside in the liver and help to remove toxins and bacteria from the blood. Hepatocytes also produce blood-clotting factors to prevent hemorrhage. Other vital functions performed by the liver include protein synthesis, vitamin storage, and the breakdown of old red blood cells. Because the liver filters toxins, their accumulation can cause liver failure. Chronic liver failure, the most common form of liver failur...
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