The liver, the largest gland within the human body, is a firm and reddish-brown organ. This wedge-shaped structure weighs approximately 1.5 kg and occupies a significant portion of the right hypochondriac and epigastric regions. It extends more to the right of the body's midline than to the left.
Located under the diaphragm, the liver is almost entirely ensconced within the rib cage, providing it with substantial protection. Except for the superior most bare area, the liver's surface is covered by a robust fibrous capsule and a layer of visceral peritoneum.
On its anterior surface, the falciform ligament marks the division between the organ's left and right lobes. Along the inferior edge of the falciform ligament runs the round ligament, a fibrous remnant of the fetal umbilical vein. The posterior surface of the liver features an impression made by the inferior vena cava, indicating the division between the right lobe and the smaller caudate lobe.
The gallbladder finds its place in a recess on the inferior surface of the right liver lobe. Meanwhile, the quadrate lobe is situated between the left lobe and the gallbladder. Afferent blood vessels and other structures reach the liver via the connective tissue of the lesser omentum, converging at a region known as the porta hepatis.
From Chapter 27:
Now Playing
Digestive System
157 Views
Digestive System
574 Views
Digestive System
449 Views
Digestive System
286 Views
Digestive System
322 Views
Digestive System
191 Views
Digestive System
234 Views
Digestive System
175 Views
Digestive System
167 Views
Digestive System
184 Views
Digestive System
164 Views
Digestive System
190 Views
Digestive System
141 Views
Digestive System
843 Views
Digestive System
190 Views
See More
Copyright © 2025 MyJoVE Corporation. All rights reserved