Cirrhosis

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cirrhosis

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is cirrhosis?Cirrhosis is when the liver becomes scarred and can’t work as well. It happens when too much scar tissue builds up in the liver.
2. Why does the liver get scarred in cirrhosis?When the liver is hurt over a long time, special cells called hepatic stellate cells make lots of scar tissue. This scar tissue blocks the liver’s normal shape and function.

Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSCs): Liver cells that store vitamin A and are the primary source of fibrotic tissue in response to chronic injury.
Extracellular Matrix (ECM): The non-cellular component present within all tissues and organs, providing structural and biochemical support.
Hepatic Encephalopathy: A neuropsychiatric complication of liver dysfunction characterized by altered mental state due to the accumulation of toxins in the brain.