essential anatomy 5 vs human anatomy atlas

The lobules are held together by a fine, dense, irregular, fibroelastic connective tissue layer extending from the fibrous capsule covering the entire liver known as Glisson's capsule. Each lobule is made up of millions of hepatic cells (hepatocytes), which are the basic metabolic cells. Lobules are the functional units of the liver. These blood vessels subdivide into small capillaries known as liver sinusoids, which then lead to lobules. The hepatic artery carries oxygen-rich blood from the aorta via the celiac trunk, whereas the portal vein carries blood rich in digested nutrients from the entire gastrointestinal tract and also from the spleen and pancreas. The liver is connected to two large blood vessels: the hepatic artery and the portal vein. Located in the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity, it rests just below the diaphragm, to the right of the stomach and overlies the gallbladder. It is both the heaviest internal organ and the largest gland in the human body. There is considerable size variation between individuals, with the standard reference range for men being 970–1,860 g (2.14–4.10 lb) and for women 600–1,770 g (1.32–3.90 lb). A human liver normally weighs approximately 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) and has a width of about 15 cm (6 in).

The liver is a reddish-brown, wedge-shaped organ with two As of 2018, liver transplantation is the only option for complete liver failure. Artificial livers have not been developed to promote long-term replacement in the absence of the liver. It is not known how to compensate for the absence of liver function in the long term, although liver dialysis techniques can be used in the short term. Estimates regarding the organ's total number of functions vary, but textbooks generally cite it being around 500. The liver's highly specialized tissue, consisting of mostly hepatocytes, regulates a wide variety of high-volume biochemical reactions, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecules, many of which are necessary for normal vital functions. The gallbladder, a small pouch that sits just under the liver, stores bile produced by the liver which is afterwards moved to the small intestine to complete digestion. The liver is an accessory digestive organ that produces bile, an alkaline fluid containing cholesterol and bile acids, which helps the breakdown of fat. Its other roles in metabolism include the regulation of glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, and the production of hormones. In humans, it is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, below the diaphragm. The liver is an organ of the digestive system only found in vertebrates which detoxifies various metabolites, synthesizes proteins and produces biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth.

Essential anatomy 5 vs human anatomy atlas