Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Liver Physiology

Liver Physiology

The liver, an essential organ in the human body, performs over 200 vital functions that can be broadly categorized into metabolic, hematological, endocrine regulation, and bile production.
Metabolic Regulation:
The liver is the central organ involved in regulating blood composition. It stabilizes blood glucose levels, maintaining them within the range of 70–110 mg/dL. When these levels drop, the liver breaks down glycogen reserves and releases glucose into the bloodstream. It can also...

Serum Laboratory Studies, Stool Test, Breath Test

Serum Laboratory Studies, Stool Test, Breath Test

Gastrointestinal (GI) diagnostic studies are pivotal in confirming, ruling out, diagnosing, or staging various diseases, including cancers. Following diagnosis, allocating time for discussions with the patient and providing informational resources is crucial. Diagnostic assessments of the GI tract often occur in outpatient settings like endoscopy suites or GI labs. Preparation for these tests may include dietary restrictions, fasting, liquid bowel preparations, laxatives, enemas, and the...

Ultrasound II: Endoscopic Ultrasound and FibroScan

Ultrasound II: Endoscopic Ultrasound and FibroScan

Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and FibroScan are valuable diagnostic tools in gastroenterology and hepatology, each with specific applications and techniques.
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS):

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow

Chronic liver disease significantly impacts drug metabolism due to alterations in hepatic blood flow and enzyme accessibility. This disruption affects the body's pharmacokinetics—the movement and processing of drugs within the system. Key enzymes crucial for metabolizing medications become less accessible, changing how drugs are processed and utilized. Furthermore, liver disease influences the synthesis of plasma proteins, such as albumin and globulins, which play critical roles in drug binding...

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test

In clinical practice, the direct measurement of hepatic blood flow to evaluate liver function presents significant challenges due to the intricate and specialized nature of the necessary techniques. Consequently, healthcare professionals often rely on empirical estimates derived from thorough patient examinations and liver function tests to gauge liver health. Among the tools at their disposal, the Child–Pugh and MELD scoring systems stand out for their ability to categorize and assess the...

Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests

Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests

Renal function tests are crucial for assessing kidney health, monitoring disease progression, and evaluating the kidneys' efficiency in waste elimination, fluid balance, and electrolyte regulation. These tests offer critical insights into kidney function, even though routine measurements may appear normal until there is a significant decline in the glomerular filtration rate or GFR. Typically, signs of kidney impairment only become evident when the GFR falls to about 50% of its normal level.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

City-wide wastewater genomic surveillance through the successive emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants.

Water research·2022

Same author

Long-acting PGE2 and Lisinopril Mitigate H-ARS.

Radiation research·2021

Same author

Human myelomeningocele risk and ultra-rare deleterious variants in genes associated with cilium, WNT-signaling, ECM, cytoskeleton and cell migration.

Scientific reports·2021

Same author

A flow cytometry method for bacterial quantification and biomass estimates in activated sludge.

Journal of microbiological methods·2019

Same author

Coupled virus - bacteria interactions and ecosystem function in an engineered microbial system.

Water research·2019

Same author

Mosquito Peptide Hormones: Diversity, Production, and Function.

Advances in insect physiology·2019

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

An Intestine/Liver Microphysiological System for Drug Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Assessment

An Intestine/Liver Microphysiological System for Drug Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Assessment

Published on: December 3, 2020

"Liver function tests" are not always tests of liver function.

D N Korones¹, M R Brown, J Palis

¹Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Children's Hospital at Strong, New York 14642, USA. david-korones@urmc.rochester.edu

American Journal of Hematology

|June 28, 2001

Summary

Pediatric patients with unexplained liver enzyme elevations (AST, ALT, LDH) may have underlying muscle disease. Testing creatine kinase (CK) can help diagnose muscular dystrophies, preventing treatment delays for other conditions.

More Related Videos

Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro

Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro

Published on: January 31, 2022

Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis

Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis

Published on: August 29, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 14, 2026

An Intestine/Liver Microphysiological System for Drug Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Assessment

An Intestine/Liver Microphysiological System for Drug Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Assessment

Published on: December 3, 2020

Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro

Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro

Published on: January 31, 2022

Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis

Implementation of Non-invasive Point of Care Transient Elastography for Evaluation of Liver Disease in Pediatric Populations with Cystic Fibrosis

Published on: August 29, 2025

Area of Science:

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical Biochemistry
Neuromuscular Disorders

Background:

Persistent elevations in liver enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) can indicate liver disease.
Diagnostic delays in pediatric patients can negatively impact treatment outcomes for primary conditions.

Observation:

Two pediatric patients, one with Wilm's tumor and another with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), presented with unexplained elevations in AST, ALT, and LDH.
Extensive evaluations for liver disease in these patients led to significant delays in their cancer and ITP treatments.

Findings:

Both patients were eventually diagnosed with muscular dystrophies (Duchenne's and Becker's) after extremely elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels were detected.
Muscle biopsies confirmed the diagnoses of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy and Becker's muscular dystrophy.

Implications:

Serum CK testing should be considered in pediatric patients with unexplained elevations of AST, ALT, and LDH to rule out underlying muscular dystrophy.
Early identification of muscular dystrophy can prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary liver disease workups, ensuring timely treatment for critical conditions like Wilm's tumor and ITP.