Liver Model Human Organ Model Medical Science Teaching Model

About the liver knowledge

Structure
The liver is a reddish-brown, wedge-shaped organ with two lobes of unequal size and shape. A human liver normally weighs approximately 1.5 kg (3.3 lb), and has a width of about 15 cm (6 in).There is also 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). It is both the heaviest internal organ and the largest gland in the human body. 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.

The liver is connected to two large blood vessels: the hepatic artery and the portal vein and common hepatic duct. The hepatic artery carries oxygen-rich blood from the aorta via the celiac plexus, whereas the portal vein carries blood rich in digested nutrients from the entire gastrointestinal tract and also from the spleen and pancreas. These blood vessels subdivide into small capillaries known as liver sinusoids, which then lead to lobules.

Lobules are the functional units of the liver. Each lobule is made up of millions of hepatic cells (hepatocytes), which are the basic metabolic cells. 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. This extends into the structure of the liver, by accompanying the blood vessels (veins and arteries), ducts, and nerves at the hepatic hilum. The whole surface of the liver except for the bare area, is covered in a serous coat derived from the peritoneum, and this firmly adheres to the inner Glisson's capsule.