LIVER CELL

Yuyu, Lily, Nunn, Phat

About the liver

The liver is the largest organ of the human body. It does many jobs, including removing toxins from the
blood, helping to digest food and fighting infections. It is the only organ in the body that can regenerate
itself after damage.
The cells that do the work in the liver are called hepatocytes. On average, each hepatocyte lives for
around 200 to 300 days. In a healthy liver, hepatocytes can divide to make copies of themselves. This
means they can replace the cells that die and can even repair some kinds of damage. If the liver is
severely injured, another type of liver cell may come to the rescue: these cells are called oval cells.
Oval cells are thought to be the livers resident stem cells and have the potential to make new
hepatocytes. However, scientists are still investigating exactly what oval cells are, how they work and
how we can make them produce hepatocytes more efficiently.

Structure
1.Peroxisome
2.Lysosome
3.Glycerol
4.Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
5.Rough endoplasmic reticulum
6.Mitochondria
7.free polysaccharide
8.Junctional complexes
9.Golgi apparatus
10.nucleus
11.nucleolus

Function of Endoplasmic Reticulum

It have 2 types of Endoplasmic Reticulum
1.Rough ER (RER) is involved in some protein production, protein folding, quality control and despatch. It is called rough
because it is studded with ribosomes
2.Smooth ER (SER) is associated with the production and metabolism of fats and steroid hormones. It is smooth because it is
not studded with ribosomes and is associated with smooth slippery fats.

Both types are present in plant and animal cells. The two types of ER are separate entities and are not joined together.
Cells specialising in the production of proteins will tend to have a larger amount of rough ER whilst cells producing
lipids (fats) and steroid hormones will have a greater amount of smooth ER.

Rough ER
1.

Rough ER is found throughout the cell but the density is higher near the nucleus and the Golgi apparatus.
Ribosomes on the rough endoplasmic reticulum are called 'membrane bound' and are responsible for the
assembly of many proteins.

The rough ER, studded with millions of membrane bound ribosomes, is involved with the production, folding, quality control
and despatch of some proteins.

Smooth ER

Smooth ER is largely associated with lipid (fat) manufacture and metabolism and steroid production hormone production.
It also has a detoxification function

Mitochondria
Mitochondria are a part of eukaryotic cells. The main job of mitochondria is to perform cellular respiration. This
means it takes in nutrients from the cell, breaks it down, and turns it into energy. This energy is then in turn used by the
cell to carry out various functions.

Function of lysosomes
1. Lysosomes are cellular organelles that contain acid hydrolase enzymes that break down waste
materials and cellular debris. They can be described as the stomach of the cell. Lysosomes
digest excess or worn-out organelles, food particles, and engulfed viruses or bacteria.
A simple description of lysosomes is that they are tiny sacs filled with fluid containing enzymes

Golgi apparatus
A major function is the modifying, sorting and packaging of proteins for secretion. It is also involved in the transport of
lipids around the cell, and the creation of lysosomes. The sacs or folds of the Golgi apparatus are called cisternae.

Nucleus
1.

The function of the nucleus is to maintain the integrity of these genes and to control the activities of the cell by
regulating gene expression the nucleus is therefore the control center of the cell.

nucleolus
1.

The nucleolus (also called nucleole) is a non-membrane bound structure composed of proteins and nucleic
acids found within the nucleus. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is transcribed and assembled within the nucleolus.

-It locate at the right of the stomach where it not only detoxifies the blood but also aids in digestion by
creating bile, Which help break down fat.

What specialized organelles are found in this cell?

-Liver cells have more peroxisomes because these organelles are a vital part detoxifying

What is the shape of the cell

-The shape of liver cell have many side that called polyhedral' shape they can basically be any
shape.

function of this cell

1.Production,metabolism and excretion of bile
2.Synthesis and metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
3.Detoxification and drug metabolism
4.Enzyme synthesis
5.Biotransformation or inactivation of hormones
6.Storage of vitamins and minerals
7.Phagocytosis

How does the shape of the cell affect the

function?
They are arranged in 'one-cell-thick' sheets so that 'sinusoid capillaries' (capillaries with large gaps in
their walls) can run long BOTH sides of the sheet of cells. This allows for a maximal exchange
surface.

How does its function fit in with the function of

other cell to work in tissue or an organ?
How does the function of this cell help keep the
organism alive?
-

Detoxification

What are some of the disease related

-

Liver cancer
Liver cirrhosis
liver abscess
fatty liver