Why does the pig need such a large liver?
With the higher demand for energy around farrowing and milk production increases, the liver plays a crucial role (Figure 1). This greater need for energy causes an increase in body fat and protein mobilization that can result in metabolic disorders.
What is the function of the liver in the fetal pig?
The liver filters out poisons and chemicals and recycles hemoglobin from the bloodstream. When the pig is a fetus in its mother's uterus, the liver contributes to the production of blood cells.
What is the largest organ in a fetal pig?
1. The largest organ in the abdominal cavity is by far the liver, just below the diaphragm (the flap of muscle separating the abdominal from the thoracic cavity). Notice the umbilical vein connecting the umbilical cord with the liver. Cut this vein so you can lay the umbilical cord back between the pig's hind legs.
What does the liver look like in a fetal pig?
FETAL PIG DISSECTION. liver‑ the large multi-lobed brown organ just below the diaphragm. gall bladder‑ found in the right lobe by lifting it up and looking underneath, it looks like a sac.It is formed by the unbranched part of the liver diverticulum.
Why is the liver so large?
The medical term is hepatomegaly (hep-uh-toe-MEG-uh-le). Rather than a disease, an enlarged liver is a sign of an underlying problem, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure or cancer. Treatment involves identifying and controlling the cause of the condition.
How many lobes does the liver have in a fetal pig?
five lobesInternal Organs There are small differences in a few organs. Liver – the human liver has four lobes: right, left, caudate and quadrate. The fetal pig liver has five lobes: right lateral, right central, left central, left lateral, and caudate.
Where is the liver located in a pig?
The liver is the body's largest intraperitoneal gland. In swine, the liver is situated on the front right side of the abdominal cavity, behind the diaphragm.
What are the functions of the liver?
All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver. The liver processes this blood and breaks down, balances, and creates the nutrients and also metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body or that are nontoxic.
Why is the thymus enlarged in the fetal pig?
In the young pig, the thymus is large because it is a critical in the development of the immune system. Later in life, the thymus decreases in size and becomes fairly unimportant.
What does the liver fill up with?
Every day, your liver cells make almost a liter of bile, a dark green liquid that flows into tubes called bile ducts. From there, the bile passes into the duodenum, a section of your small intestine, where it breaks the fat into smaller particles.
Why is the gallbladder in the fetal pig often green?
The gall bladder is a small organ attached to the underside of the liver; it's usually greenish because it contains bile.
Which structure is found under the liver?
The liver has two large sections, called the right and the left lobes. The gallbladder sits under the liver, along with parts of the pancreas and intestines. The liver and these organs work together to digest, absorb, and process food.
What are the functions of the liver?
All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver. The liver processes this blood and breaks down, balances, and creates the nutrients and also metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body or that are nontoxic.
What is the function of the kidneys in a fetal pig?
The kidneys are large, bean-shaped organs that lie against the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity underneath the organs of the digestive tract. The function of the kidneys is to filter waste from the blood and to regulate the blood's salt and water levels.
What is the function of the spleen in a fetal pig?
The spleen is involved in the circulatory system in that it destroys, recycles and synthesizes red blood cells. The spleen also stores excess blood that can be released into the bloodstream in response to an injury such as a large cut.
What is the function of the pancreas in a fetal pig?
It is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as an exocrine gland, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that pass to the small intestine.