Learning Outcomes
i. Describe the liver's function in glucose metabolism.
ii. Explain the liver's role in amino acid metabolism.
iii. State how the liver contributes to urea formation.
Summary of Lesson
The liver is one of the body's most crucial organs for metabolism, the chemical process that keeps us going. In this lesson, we’ll explore how the liver manages glucose and amino acids, two fundamental substances our bodies use for energy and growth. We’ll also look at how the liver converts waste into urea, a less toxic compound that the body can safely eliminate.
i. Glucose Metabolism: The Energy Currency
Balancing Blood Sugar: How the liver maintains stable glucose levels in the blood.
Storage and Release: The liver's ability to store glucose as glycogen and release it when energy is needed.
ii. Amino Acid Metabolism: Building and Repairing
Processing Proteins: The role of the liver in breaking down amino acids from proteins.
Non-Protein Functions: How the liver repurposes amino acids for various bodily functions.
iii. Urea Formation: The Detox Process
Ammonia to Urea: Converting ammonia, a toxic byproduct of amino acid metabolism, into urea.
Excretion: How urea is then removed from the body through the urine.
List of Important Questions for Self-Study
i. What is the role of the liver in regulating blood sugar levels?
ii. How does the liver process amino acids?
iii. Why is the conversion of ammonia to urea important?
Important Terminologies Used in Lesson
i. Metabolism: The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in the body.
ii. Glucose: A simple sugar that serves as the main source of energy for the body.
iii. Amino Acids: The building blocks of proteins, which play many critical roles in the body.
iv. Urea: A chemical compound that is a major nitrogen-containing substance in the urine.
v. Glycogen: A form of stored glucose; it is the primary storage form of glucose in the body.
