Digestive System 4; Hematology 1

Digestive System IV; Hematology I: In this lecture, Professor Diamond continues her discussion of the liver before moving on to the pancreas and hematology. She first describes how the liver is composed of cells called hepatocytes organized into lobules with triads, which each contain a branch of the hepatic artery, a branch of the hepatic portal vein, and a bile duct. She then reviews the functions of the liver, including supporting digestion through bile production, developing blood coagulants, and detoxifying nitrogenous wastes. Professor Diamond touches on disorders of the liver, such as cirrhosis caused by overconsumption of alcohol and elevated urea levels resulting from Hepatitis C. She then introduces the pancreas, the second largest gland. After describing the pancreas’s function as an endocrine and exocrine gland, she describes various disorders, including diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, and pancreatic cancer. Professor Diamond concludes with a discussion of blood, describing its cellular and fluid components and the production of red blood cells in bone marrow.