The largest gland is not iron. Iron in the human body: why it is needed and why iron deficiency is dangerous The largest gland in the human body

The liver is the largest gland in humans. It is the main “laboratory” for the breakdown and synthesis of a large number of organic substances entering hepatocytes from the hepatic artery and portal vein.

The weight of the liver in an adult is 1200-1500 g. It is covered by peritoneum on all sides, with the exception of a small area on the posterior surface adjacent to the diaphragm. The right and left lobes of the liver are distinguished. The interlobar border passes through the gall bladder bed, the portal of the liver and ends at the confluence of the right hepatic vein into the inferior vena cava. Based on the general principles of branching of the intrahepatic bile ducts, hepatic arteries and portal veins, 8 segments are distinguished in the liver (Fig. 12.1). The entire surface of the liver is covered with a thin fibrous membrane (Glissonian capsule), which thickens in the area of ​​the porta hepatis and is called the “porta plate.”

Blood supply The liver is carried out by its own hepatic artery, located as part of the hepatoduodenal ligament. In the area of ​​the portal of the liver, it is divided into the right and left hepatic arteries, going to the corresponding lobes of the organ. The hepatic artery carries about 25% of the blood to the liver, while the portal vein carries 75%.

Intrahepatic bile ducts begin with bile canaliculi located between hepatocytes; gradually increasing in diameter and merging with each other, they form interlobular, segmental and lobar ducts. The right and left hepatic ducts, merging together in the area of ​​the porta hepatis, form the common hepatic duct, which, after the cystic duct flows into it, is called the common bile duct. The latter flows into the duodenum in the area of ​​its vertical branch.

Venous drainage from the liver is carried out through the hepatic veins. They begin with the central lobular veins, with the fusion of which sublobular and segmental veins are formed. The latter, merging, form 2-3 large trunks, flowing into the inferior vena cava immediately below the diaphragm.

Lymphatic drainage occurs through lymphatic vessels located along the intrahepatic bile ducts and hepatic veins. From them, lymph enters the lymph nodes of the hepatoduodenal ligament, para-aortic nodes and from there into the thoracic duct. From the upper parts of the liver, lymphatic vessels, perforating the diaphragm, also flow into the thoracic duct.

Innervation The liver is carried out by sympathetic nerves from the right celiac nerve and parasympathetic from the hepatic branch of the left vagus nerve.

Liver functions. The liver plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates (storage and metabolism), fats (utilization of exogenous fats, synthesis of phospholipids, cholesterol, fatty acids, etc.), proteins (albumin, protein factors of the blood coagulation system - fibrinogen, prothrombin, etc.) , pigments (regulation of bilirubin metabolism), fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), B vitamins, many hormones and biologically active substances, as well as in bile formation. In the capillaries of the liver, i.e. in the sinusoids, along with endothelial cells, Kupffer cells occupy a significant place. They perform the function of resident macrophages. It should be emphasized that Kupffer cells make up more than 70% of all macrophages in the body. They play a major role in the removal of microorganisms, endotoxin, protein breakdown products, and xenogeneic substances. Liver cells play a key role in the production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory interleukins, other cytokines and important inflammatory mediators, on which the course of the inflammatory process, the preservation of the regulatory role of the immune system and the favorable outcome of inflammation, injury and other damaging factors depend. Liver reticuloendothelial cells (Kupffer cells), performing a protective function, fix immune complexes, carry out phagocytosis of bacteria, destroy old red blood cells, etc. In addition, they produce proteins of the early phase of inflammation (C-reactive protein), gamma globulin and others substances involved in the body's immune defense.

In many diseases of the liver and biliary tract, one of the first to suffer is its pigment function, which is clinically manifested by jaundice. Therefore, it is very important for a practicing physician to know the physiological cycle of bilirubin metabolism in the body.

Under normal conditions, “old” red blood cells are destroyed in the spleen and in small quantities in some other organs of the reticuloendothelial system (bone marrow, liver, lymph nodes). From the hemoglobin of erythrocytes, during their breakdown, the protein globin, hemosiderin and hematoidin are formed. Globin breaks down into amino acids, which subsequently participate in general protein metabolism. Hemosiderin is oxidized to ferritin, which further participates in iron metabolism and is again utilized by the body. Hematoidin, through the biliverdin stage, is converted into indirect (free) bilirubin (insoluble in water), which in turn enters into a loose bond with blood proteins. With the blood flow through the portal vein system, indirect bilirubin enters the liver, where, under the influence of liver enzymes, it binds with glucuronic acid, forming water-soluble direct bilirubin (bilirubin glucuronide), which is subsequently released into the intestines by bile. Here, stercobilin is formed from direct (bound) bilirubin, which gives the stool a brown color, as well as urobilinogen and urobilin, which are partially excreted in the feces and partially absorbed through the intestinal wall into the blood through the portal vein system. Most of the urobilinogen and urobilin enter the liver, where they are converted back into bilirubin and only a small amount is excreted in the urine. Indirect bilirubin is not filtered by the kidneys and is not excreted in the urine, while direct water-soluble bilirubin has this ability.

The liver is the largest gland

The human body is amazing. There is such a considerable number of various complex processes taking place in it, which in their totality allow the individual to exist - to have what they are accustomed to calling “full life”.

The main task of providing it falls on large organs in the body, including glands. They produce hormones that are responsible for many processes, without which the most significant events - physiologically and psychologically - for any individual (for example, digestion or childbirth) will simply become impossible.

At the same time, one’s own body remains largely a mystery to non-medics. So, not everyone will be able to say with accuracy what the largest human gland is. Meanwhile, without the compounds it produces, the absorption of many elements from food would not occur, the blood would not be purified, the removal of toxic substances would not occur to the proper extent, etc.

Hot organ

The above statements refer to the liver. It is considered not only the largest of the glands present in humans, but also the “hottest” organ. The constant temperature in it is about forty-two degrees. This is not surprising, because it is considered a real “industrial enterprise” of the body. It is constantly in full swing with the production of lipids, bile, bilirubin, replenishment of a number of vitamins and other nutrients, as well as hormones and enzymes, with the participation of which food is broken down into its component parts in the duodenum.

In general, the list of those chemical compounds in the production of which the above-mentioned largest human gland is somehow involved would be very extensive. However, this organ of considerable size (in an adult it weighs about one and a half to two kilograms) is also involved in many other processes that constantly occur in the body of every inhabitant of the planet.

Liver in critical situation

Thus, the liver neutralizes substances that are foreign and unsafe for humans (including poisons, allergens, etc.). Here they are transformed into more harmless compounds, which are then removed naturally. Also, with the help of this organ, excess various hormones, vitamins, mediators and intermediate harmful metabolic products (for example, ethanol, ammonia, acetone and others) are removed.

However, many people have an idea about these liver functions. However, not everyone realizes that it also serves as a kind of “blood reservoir”. A fairly large volume of this life-giving fluid is stored here. It is thrown into the vascular bed in case of injuries and other situations in which significant blood loss occurs.

Caring for your liver

With all those countless tasks (and not all of them are listed just above) that the liver has to cope with, it is, of course, very vulnerable to additional obstacles in their implementation, erected by the person himself. Is it worth mentioning in this regard the repeated “libations” that many of the planet’s inhabitants are addicted to, as well as other unsafe habits (for example, smoking), which supply the body with such decent volumes of toxins that the body’s main filter is not always able to cope.

In addition, many people are very indiscriminate in terms of diet, and in this regard, the liver encounters an excessive amount of fats and other difficult-to-digest compounds. This has a strong negative impact on the functionality of the liver. However, she has the ability to regenerate, but sometimes even this is of little help.

Those who strive to join the ranks of centenarians who live out their lives in perfect health should also take care of the liver. The recipe for this is simple - monitor your diet and do not overload the largest gland with harmful compounds.

2) spleen

3) pancreas

4) adrenal gland

Answer: 1

43. What role does bile play in digestion?

1) breaks down fats into glycerol and fatty acids

2) activates enzymes, emulsifies fats

3) breaks down carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and water

4) accelerates the process of water absorption

Answer: 2

44. In which part of the human intestine does the breakdown of plants occur?

Noah fiber

1) duodenum

2) colon

3) small intestine

4) cecum

Answer: 2

45. In the human digestive system, the main chemical transformations

Niya food ends in

1) cecum

2) stomach

3) small intestine

Answer: 3

The enzymatic breakdown of proteins into amino acids in the human digestive system begins in

Answer: 1

47. Toxic substances that enter the human body with food are neutralized

Huddle in

3) large intestine

4) pancreas

Answer: 2

48. Digestion of starch and other complex carbohydrates begins in:

1) large intestine;

2) small intestine;

3) oral cavity;

4) in the stomach.

Answer: 3

49. What vitamin should be included in the diet of a person suffering from scurvy?

Answer: 3

The conversion of glucose to glycogen occurs in

1) stomach

4) intestines

Answer: 3

51. Enzymatic breakdown of proteins to amino acids in the digestive tract

The human system begins in

1) stomach, and ends in the small intestine

2) the oral cavity, and ends in the small intestine

3) the oral cavity, and ends in the esophagus

4) the cecum, and ends in the rectum

Answer: 1

52. Bile and pancreatic juice enter through the ducts into:

1) stomach

2) duodenum

3) sections of the large intestine

4) rectum

Answer: 2

In the human small intestine, it is absorbed into the bloodstream

1) starch

2) amino acids

3) glycogen

Answer: 2

The function of nutrient absorption in the human digestive system is performed by

1) muscle cells

2) epithelial cells

3) stomach glands

4) blood vessels

Answer: 2

Lack of vitamin A in the human body leads to disease

1) night blindness

2) diabetes mellitus

4) rickets

Answer: 1

56. In the human digestive system, the main chemical transformations

Niya food ends in

1) cecum

2) stomach

3) small intestine

Answer: 3

57. Conversion of glucose into storage carbohydrate - glycogen is the most intense

Of all the organs of the human body, the liver is the largest gland and is second in size only to the skin, being the largest internal organ. The liver is formed in the embryo in the fourth week of pregnancy. During fetal development, the liver is divided into two parts called the right and left lobes. At the end of fetal development, the right lobe of the liver will be six times larger than the left. By the time a baby is born, the liver weighs about 5 percent of the baby's total body weight. A baby's liver grows and weighs three to four pounds (3 to 4 kg) in an adult. If you feel the lower right corner under the rib cage, you will find a dense mass that makes a dull sound when tapped. This is your liver. A healthy liver has the consistency of a sponge. In a child with liver disease, the liver is often denser.

The liver is located under the diaphragm and ribs, it extends along the upper edge of the stomach to the left side of the body. Under the right edge of the liver are the green gallbladder and its ducts. The liver's circulatory system is unique: a large blood vessel called the portal vein carries blood from both the heart and the digestive tract. Each of the two large lobes is made up of smaller compartments called lobules. Typically, the liver has 50,000 to 100,000 lobules, consisting of a vein surrounded by tiny liver cells called hepatocytes. These cells cleanse the blood, remove waste, toxins and poisons, and store nutrients for use by the body when needed. The liver has a variety of functions: it converts sugar (glucose) into glycogen and stores it until the body needs it.

The liver also stores vitamins, minerals and iron until they are needed. Liver cells produce proteins and lipids, or fats, which include triglycerides, cholesterol and lipoproteins. The liver produces bile acids that break down dietary fats. Bile acids allow the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E. The liver removes chemicals, alcohol, toxins and drugs from the blood and sends them either as urea to the kidneys, which excrete them from the body as urine, or to the gastrointestinal tract , from where they are excreted in the form of feces.

When a person consumes food, nutrients pass through the throat into the stomach and then into the intestines. In these organs, food is broken down into small particles, thanks to enzymes produced by the pancreas, which are absorbed into the blood. Most of these small particles pass from the intestines to the liver, which filters food and turns it into nutrients that the blood delivers to the cells that need them. The liver stores these nutrients, releasing them throughout the day when the body needs them. Proteins, fats, enzymes and other chemical compounds that the liver synthesizes from nutrients determine human health.

The liver produces proteins necessary for blood clotting. If the liver is unable to produce these substances, death may occur due to blood loss. The liver also produces bilirubin, a red-yellow pigment formed when hemoglobin breaks down in dying red blood cells. The blood carries it to the liver, where it mixes with bile, and then enters the duodenum for excretion from the body. If the liver is damaged and is unable to remove reddish-yellow bilirubin from the body, jaundice occurs - the sclera of the eyes and skin acquire a yellowish tint. The liver produces the blood protein albumin, as well as cholesterol, which is necessary for the formation of outer cell membranes. When liver cells are damaged and cannot perform these functions, they release certain enzymes into the blood. To determine liver damage or disease, doctors test the presence of all these enzymes in the blood, as well as other liver-related substances. The liver is a very complex organ, so it is susceptible to many negative factors, including excess alcohol or drugs, infections such as viral hepatitis, cancer and other metabolic disorders. However, at the same time, the liver is a resilient organ, since it is capable of recovering from damage or inflammation; In addition, the liver contains reserves of nutrients that it can resort to when damaged. When the liver is infected with the hepatitis virus, its cells are damaged or destroyed. The liver can survive this type of damage due to its ability to regenerate and compensate for the damage caused. This stage of the disease is called compensated liver disease because the liver is able to continue performing all its functions. When the liver begins to succumb to disease, it can no longer regenerate its tissues, and the growth of scar tissue impairs its ability to filter and store nutrients. This final stage of the disease is called decompensated because the liver cannot compensate for the damage caused.

How can we help the liver easily bear the burden of our carelessness?

This is what the famous herbalist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, head of the herbal medicine course at the Department of Family Medicine of the MMA said about this. Sechenova Sergey Nikolaevich Turishchev:
- There are many fruits and medicinal plants that contain active plant components that help a person protect the liver from diseases. Such properties are possessed, for example, by rose hips, mint, oregano, St. John's wort, chamomile, immortelle, corn silk, celandine, calendula, birch buds, milk thistle, oats, many vitamin preparations...
Celandine. In folk medicine, a decoction of the celandine herb with flowers and roots is used in small doses for cholelithiasis, jaundice and other liver diseases.
It is known to increase bile secretion.
Calendula promotes the secretion of bile. In folk medicine, it is often used as a choleretic agent for liver diseases.
- In pharmacies today there are many “targeted” herbal preparations that promote the secretion of bile, cleanse the bile ducts, and remove small stones. Medicinal plants are good because they are close in structure to the components of the human body. They act gently and are absolutely harmless, since man himself, albeit a unique one, is a biosystem. Official medicine today no longer denies the therapeutic effect of natural biologically active compounds. Moreover, it emphasizes not only their advantages, but often their advantages. The active substances of plants can not only cleanse the liver of toxins, and therefore protect its cells from destruction, but also help restore already damaged liver cells.
Based on practical experience, I can say: natural remedies are also good for treating chronic liver diseases. As you know, the percentage of viral liver pathologies (hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice) is now growing. And in case of high load on this organ, herbs will act as hepatoprotectors (literally, liver protectors).
Without much difficulty, you can help your liver through gentle nutrition.
In this sense, according to experts, boiled meat and fish, dairy products, and oatmeal are good. And even more so - decoctions of natural oats. The same thing they feed horses. Cranberries and lemon drinks are good for removing toxins and saving the liver from medicinal “violence.” After all, all nutrients absorbed into the blood from the digestive tract pass through the liver and are processed there. At the same time, some of the fats are converted into carbohydrates, so the liver, figuratively speaking, is the largest glycogen depot in the body. It also synthesizes blood plasma proteins.
The diet will help normalize impaired liver and biliary tract function
Recommended products and dishes.
Egg - white omelet (without yolk) no more than 2 times a week.
Bread and bakery products - gray, coarse bread. The cookies are not good.
Milk and dairy products: low-fat cottage cheese, one-day yogurt, low-fat kefir.
Fats: butter, sunflower in ready-made dishes.
Meat and fish dishes: lean meats, boiled chicken. Low-fat fish (cod, navaga, pike) - boiled.
Soups - with vegetable broth or milk (with water). Cereals - buckwheat, oatmeal, pasta. Fruit soups.
Fruits, berries, sweets - ripe varieties of fruits and berries, raw and boiled, lemon with sugar, watermelons, soy chocolate, sugar.
Drinks, juices - rosehip decoction, various juices (with water), tea with milk, tea with lemon, dried fruit compotes.
Vegetables and greens - cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beets raw and boiled, onions are added after boiling.
Undesirable: mushrooms, beans, peas, peppers, sorrel, spinach, fried foods, egg yolks, canned food, alcohol, beer, sparkling water.
The protein content in this diet is 100-200 g, fat - 120-130 g, carbohydrates - 350-400 g. Calorie content - 3500 kcal, free liquid up to 1.5 l, table salt - up to 12 g.
This diet is good because it is balanced: it contains a normal amount of proteins and limits fats (especially lamb, goose, and internal fat). The range of products that promote fermentation has been reduced. The amount of vegetables and fruits has been increased.
It is better to eat 4-5 times a day.
Don't climb the wall
Paradoxically, even a person’s behavior and character depend on the condition of the liver. Unconscious anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances can also be signs of liver system overload. Losing your temper is a typical manifestation of an irritated liver. Even the ancients noticed this: harmful and vindictive choleric people were called gall people; closed, sad and painful melancholic people - people with black bile. And in our time, many apt expressions circulate among the people, tracing the connection between the liver, health and character of a person: a bilious person, sits in the liver.
So if you help your protector - the liver, it will help you enjoy life more often.

BY THE WAY
In folk medicine, celandine is used as a remedy that inhibits the growth of certain malignant tumors. But we must remember that celandine is a poisonous plant, so it must be used internally with extreme caution. If poisoned, it can cause nausea, vomiting and even death.

Rosehip is an ancient medicinal plant, the medicinal properties of which were known already in the 17th century. At that time, rose hips were highly valued and were given out for treatment with special permission only to noble and wealthy people. Its fruits contain so many vitamins that their variety exceeds all other plants known to medicine. That is why rosehip infusion is also good for the prevention of liver diseases. It increases the body's resistance to infectious diseases, in particular hepatitis. Promotes better secretion of bile. As is known, many medicinal preparations for the treatment of hepatitis and cholecystitis are made from rose hips.