Blood moves from the small intestines to the liver via the hepatic portal vein. This is because the blood leaving the small intestine is very rich in nutrients. The circulatory system of our body demands a delicate balance in the amounts of nutrients carried in it. Any nutrient present in too much or too less amounts can disrupt the normal concentration of blood and its osmotic regulation.
Therefore, before it enters the main circulatory system, blood's nutrients need to be regulated. Blood in the hepatic portal vein is very rich in glucose. Some of it is converted to glycogen so that the amount that enters the main blood system is not overwhelmed with it. In the same way, the amount of all nutrients such as lipids and proteins are also regulated in the liver before being released into the rest of the blood.
Liver in this case is acting as an agent of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the maintaining of constant internal conditions in the body. Here, it is regulating the composition of blood. It is important to regulate the make up of blood because that determines the nutrient absorptive capacity of all the cells in the body and also helps in osmoregulation, especially sodium and glucose. If there is an imbalance in the quantities of these nutrients, a person may develop edema, hypertension, headaches, dizziness and frequent urge to urinate (all symptoms of diabetes mellitus where faulty uptake causes glucose levels to rise in the blood).
Therefore, before it enters the main circulatory system, blood's nutrients need to be regulated. Blood in the hepatic portal vein is very rich in glucose. Some of it is converted to glycogen so that the amount that enters the main blood system is not overwhelmed with it. In the same way, the amount of all nutrients such as lipids and proteins are also regulated in the liver before being released into the rest of the blood.
Liver in this case is acting as an agent of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the maintaining of constant internal conditions in the body. Here, it is regulating the composition of blood. It is important to regulate the make up of blood because that determines the nutrient absorptive capacity of all the cells in the body and also helps in osmoregulation, especially sodium and glucose. If there is an imbalance in the quantities of these nutrients, a person may develop edema, hypertension, headaches, dizziness and frequent urge to urinate (all symptoms of diabetes mellitus where faulty uptake causes glucose levels to rise in the blood).
