P1: Explain The Function Of The Liver And Pancreas

Introduction
This assessment will explain the function and products of the liver and pancreas and how this aids digestion, making efficient. It will also include the interaction of the circulatory and respiratory systems during exercise and at rest and how they work separately and together. Lastly, it will discuss what could go wrong with these systems and how this would affect the horse.
The Pancreas (M1)
Structure of the pancreas
The pancreas is an elongated digestive organ that lies next to the small intestine. Most of the pancreas is made of clusters of exocrine cells called Acini. The Acini are secretory and contain digestive enzymes which flow from the pancreas to the duodenum. Within this pancreatic tissue there are the Islets of Langerhans
Pancreatic juice contains alkali and bicarbonates which help create the bolus and enable it to leave the stomach, it also creates and maintains an ideal environment for the enzymes. The pancreas maintains blood glucose levels to about 3.6 to 6 mmol/l. The pancreas does this by measuring if the blood sugar level is too high or low, if it is not the correct level then a hormone is released. If the blood sugar level is too high insulin is released from the beta cells and causes glucose to enter body cells to be used for energy but sometimes can stimulate glucose to turn to glycogen in the liver. However, if it is too low then glucagon is released into the blood which causes the stored glycogen in the liver to break down into glucose. Therefore the pancreas is an important organ for aiding digestion as it provides vital hormones that help the body keep homeostasis such as maintaining the blood sugar levels at a normal level, without this the horses organs would shut down. It also helps to digest the food by providing enzymes which helps breakdown the food which gives the body energy and important
The liver has a vital role in digestion as it produces bile, this can change the acidity of food as it enters from the strongly acidic stomach into the gut. Bile is important as too much or too little alters digestion and can cause fats to be broken down differently. Bile is not stored but is made when the horse is eating due to that horses do not have a gall bladder, this is also why horses should not have an empty stomach. If a horse has an empty bladder for 12-24 hours, bile pigments can go into the blood creating a temporary ‘jaundice’ impression. The liver is also vital to remove and protect from toxin build-up by removing poisons absorbed from the gut from the blood. Naturally produced poisons such as ammonia are made into other chemicals (Urea) and are removed. Lastly, the liver has many essential micro-chemicals, for example clotting factors/ vitamins. If the horse’s liver is exhausted or deficient the horse may bleed from the nose/gut or in its urine. Iron and essential vitamins/minerals are stored in the liver until required (Horse & Hound, 2004). Liver also helps regulate the body’s glucose levels in the blood, if these levels increase the liver removes this through the portal vein and stores it as glucose. If it is too low the liver breaks down stored glycogen