0320 Histology II Consitt

LT12932 Organization of microstructures of the intestine, liver, pancreas, and gall bladder with
relation to their respective physiologies (12932)
GI Histology II
Liver
Largest glandular tissue in body (~2.5% body weight)
Produces most of bodys circulating plasma proteins
o Albumin, lipoproteins (esp. VLDLs), glycoproteins, prothrombin,
fibrinogen, nonimmune -globulins and -globulins
Stores and converts several vitamins and iron
o Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K
Degrades drugs and toxins
Important role in metabolic pathways
Bile production (exocrine role)
Modifies action of hormones released by other organs (endocrine-like action)
Liver Blood Supply

o Dual Blood Supply

Hepatic portal vein (75%)
Nutrients and toxins from intestine
Blood cells and breakdown products of blood cells
from spleen
Endocrine secretions from pancreas and
enterendocrine cells (ie., gastrin) of GI tract
Hepatic artery (25%)
o Blood enters at porta hepatis (same site where
common bile duct carries bile out of liver and
lymphatic vessels leave liver)

o Blood Supply to Liver: Portal Triad

Biliary Canaliculus

Sinusoids lead to a terminal hepatic

venule (central vein) that empties
into the sublobular vein

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 0320 Histology II Consitt

o Thin tube that collects bile from

hepatocytes

Liver Lobules

o 3 ways to describe structure of

lobules in terms of a function unit

o Classic Hepatic Lobule

Hexagonal mass of tissue

Stacks of hepatocytes with sinusoids that perfuse cells
with mixed portal and arterial blood
Terminal hepatic venule (central vein) is at center of
lobule and is where sinusoids drain into

Portal Triad

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 0320 Histology II Consitt

Hepatic Sinusoids

Hepatic Sinusoids (light areas

between hepatocytes) lead to
central vein

o Portal Lobule
o Liver Ancinus
Best structural unit to
Highlights exocrine
describe the correlation
function of liver (bile
between blood perfusion,
secretion)
metabolic activity, and liver
pathology
Short axis terminal
branches of the portal triad
that lie between two classic
Zone 1 Closest to the penetrating
branches of the portal vein and hepatic
artery
Zone 2 no sharp boundaries
Zone 3 Closest to the central part of
classic lobule that surrounds terminal hepatic
vein

Clinical Significance of Zones

Sinusoidal blood flow, oxygen gradient, metabolic

activity, & distribution of enzymes differ across the
zones
Zone 1 first to receive oxygen, nutrients, and
toxins
Cells last to die if circulation impaired & first to

regenerate
o Centrilobular Necrosis
Zone 3 First to show ischemic necrosis
(centrilobular necrosis), and fat accumulation
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 0320 Histology II Consitt

Note: Large number of round vacuoles (lipid

accumulation) in zone 3

Breakdown of lipids requires mitochondria + O2

Zone 3 has the lowest O2 concentration decreased
metabolism of lipids

Kupffer Cells

o Found in lining of hepatic sinusoids

o Derived from monocytes
o May span the sinusoid lumen
o May be involved in breakdown of senile red blood
cells

Perisinusoidal Space (Space of Disse)

o Site of exchange of materials between blood

and liver cells
o Between basal surfaces of hepatocytes and
o Approximately
basal 80% cell cells
surfaces of endothelial population in liver
o o Euchromatic
Irregular microvilli Nuclei: large andproject
on hepatocytes spherical,
into
occupy
this space center of
(increase SAthe cell, often paired
6-fold)
o o Hepatocyte
Hepatic Cytoplasm
Stellate Cells (Ito Cells)
Rough endoplasmic reticulum
Also found in the perisinusoidal
spaceand free
robosomes
Store vitamin A in the form of retinyl esters
Hepatocytes During Small Golgi Complexes
inflammation, cytokines are relased which
Mitochondria
in turn cause these cells to produce collagen
Peroxisomes
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Glycogen
Lipid Droplets
 0320 Histology II Consitt

Gall Bladder
Distensible sac with volume of ~50mL
Receives bile from liver via hepatic duct
Stores and concentrates bile (can remove 90%
of water in bile)
CCK responsible for gall bladder contraction
Mucosa Contains folds when gall bladder is
empty or partial filled (lateral plications)
No muscularis mucosae or submucosa

Gall Bladder Mucosa

o Epithelium
Tall simple columnar cells
Absorptive function

Mucosal Surface of Gall Bladder

Gall Bladder Lamina
o Numerous, short, not Propria o Loose connective tissue
well developed o Numerous capillaries &
microvilli small venules
o Apical junctional o Large number of
complexes lymphocytes & plasma
o Mitochondria cells
o May observe mucin-
o Deep diverticula of mucosa secreting glands in
o Often found in lamina propria or into muscularis
Rokitansky-Aschoff Sinuses laminaexterna
propria near
o Occur due to hyperplasia and herniation of epithelial cells (more
neck of organ
5 commonly observed in
inflamed gallbladders)
 0320 Histology II Consitt

Gall Bladder Concentrates Bile

o Na+-K+ pump actively pumps Na+ out of epithelial cell

and into intercellular space
o Sodium-Hydrogen Exchanger (NHE) pumps sodium
out of lumen (Cl- & HCO3- also transported from
lumen into intercellular space)
o Water follows (via osmosis) and enters blood vessels
in lamina propria

o Muscularis Externa smooth muscle

bundles randomly oriented
o Adventitia tissue connecting gall bladder
to liver OR
o Serosa layer of mesothelium and thin,
loose connective tissue (unattached surface
of gall bladder)

Neurohumoral Control of Gall Bladder

o Nutrients (protein, fat) in duodenum lead

to release of CCK, which acts through
endocrine and neurocrine pathways to
activate gall bladder contraction and
Sphincter of Oddi relaxation

Pancreas

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 0320 Histology II Consitt

Exocrine Pancreas
o Acinar Cells secretory units (narrow luminal side,
broad basal surface)
o Intercalated Duct begins within acinus (cells within
acinus referred to as centroacinar cells)
Pancreatic Duct System
o Centroacinar cells lead into Intercalated Duct,
which leads into Intralobular Collecting Duct (no
Striated Ducts), which leads into Interlobular Duct,
which ultimately leads into the Main Pancreatic
Duct (empties into duodenum)
o Intercalated Ducts responsible for secreting large
volume of fluid containing sodium & bicarbonate
(modify secretion into duodenum)
Pancreatic Acinus and Duct System
o Centroacinar Cells located with acinus

Pancreas Acinar Cell

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 0320 Histology II Consitt

o Zyomogen Granules contain inactive pancreatic

enzymes which become activated when enter the
lumen of the small intestine

Pancreatic Enzymes are Activated in the Small Intestine

o Trypsinogen (inactive) is activated to Trypsin by

brush border enzyme in small intestine
o Trypsin can then activate other pancreatic
enzymes
o Pancreatic Exocrine Secretion Under Hormonal
& Neural Control

Remember Cephalic Phase is responsible for 25% of

pancreatic secretion (ACh and VIP)
Intestinal Phase is responsible for 65% (ie., amino
Pancreas Histology
acids, fatty acids, acid) trigger release of Secretin
and CCK
o Connective tissue
separates pancreas into
lobules
o Majority of lobule
consists of acinar cells
o Arrows point to islets of
Langerhans
Location where
hormones are
produced:
-cells: glucagon
-cells: insulin &
amylin o Acinar cells predominate
-cells: o IL = islets of Langerhans
somatostatin o InD = intralobular duct
-cells (or PP-cells): o CT = connective tissue
pancreatic
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