THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 2

GLANDS OF DIGESTION (cont.) THE LIVER –Largest internal organ –About the size of a football –Weighs about 3 lbs. –More on the right than left –Made of over 300 billion cells

Glands of Digestion (cont.) LIVER FUNCTIONS Stores vitamins, sugar and iron to help give your body energy. Controls the production and removal of cholesterol. Detoxifies blood of drugs and other poisonous substances. Makes clotting factors to stop excessive bleeding. Produces immune factors and removes bacteria from the bloodstream to combat infection. Releases a substance called “bile” to help digest food and absorb important nutrients.

LIVER DISORDERS FATTY LIVER LIVER FIBROSIS CIRRHOSIS

BILE Bile is a thick, greenish digestive fluid that breaks down fats. It is produced by the liver. It is stored in the gall bladder. Gall stones can form from crystallized bile.

ALCOHOL POISONING Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning: Person is unconscious or semi-conscious and cannot be awakened by shouting, pinching, or prodding. Person has cold, clammy, pale, or bluish skin. Person is breathing fewer than eight times per minute, or his/her breathing is irregular with ten or more seconds between breaths. Person vomits while passed out or doesn't wake up after vomiting.