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The main liver cells are called hepatocytes; however, there are other cells that can be observed in a liver sample such as Kupffer cells (macrophages). [2] The liver is the biggest gland of the body. It has a wide variety of functions that range from the destruction of old blood cells to the control of the whole metabolism of macromolecules . [ 3 ]
For these purposes, hepatocytes are usually isolated from animal or human [8] whole liver or liver tissue by collagenase digestion, which is a two-step process. In the first step, the liver is placed in an isotonic solution, in which calcium is removed to disrupt cell-cell tight junctions by the use of a calcium chelating agent.
In histology (microscopic anatomy), the lobules of liver, or hepatic lobules, are small divisions of the liver defined at the microscopic scale. The hepatic lobule is a building block of the liver tissue , consisting of portal triads, hepatocytes arranged in linear cords between a capillary network, and a central vein .
Liver function tests (LFTs or LFs), also referred to as a hepatic panel or liver panel, are groups of blood tests that provide information about the state of a patient's liver. [1] These tests include prothrombin time (PT/INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), albumin , bilirubin (direct and indirect), and others.
Steatosis, also called fatty change, is abnormal retention of fat within a cell or organ. [1] Steatosis most often affects the liver – the primary organ of lipid metabolism – where the condition is commonly referred to as fatty liver disease. Steatosis can also occur in other organs, including the kidneys, heart, and muscle. [2]
The name is derived from the fact that the cells undergoing this form of cell death increase in size . It is generally considered a form of apoptosis , [ 1 ] and is a descriptor used in the context of inflamed fatty liver ( steatohepatitis ) [ 2 ] (which may be due to obesity or alcohol ), as well as viral hepatitis.
The liver parenchyma is the functional tissue of the organ made up of around 80% of the liver volume as hepatocytes. The other main type of liver cells are non-parenchymal. Non-parenchymal cells constitute 40% of the total number of liver cells but only 6.5% of its volume. [11]
Apoptosis of the liver of a mouse. Hepatocytes are the liver's primary parenchymal cells, forming 80% of the liver's mass and 60% of its cells. They are round in shape and contain a nucleus and organelles that contribute to metabolic and secretory functions. [5] Hepatocytes also play a pivotal role in liver inflammation. [6]