The liver, a large reddish brown organ found in the upper right portion of the abdomen, carries out more than 500 bodily functions, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) states. The body's blood supply passes through the liver, which holds up to 13 percent of the entire blood volume at any given time. The liver is the only organ that can regenerate damaged cells until scar tissue develops. The liver can function even if 75 percent of its cells are destroyed, according to UAB.
Absorption
The liver aids in absorption of nutrients in several ways. Bile, produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder, breaks down fats and aids in their absorption in the small intestine. Bile also helps the body absorb fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E and K.
Breakdown and Elimination
The liver plays an essential part in breaking down and eliminating toxins, waste products and bacteria from the body. It converts toxic ammonia in the body into urea, which then passes from the body in urine. Medications and toxins such as alcohol also pass through and break down in the liver. Bilirubin, a waste product of red blood cell breakdown, also passes through the liver and changes into a form more easily excreted through the stool and urine. Kupffer cells, a type of cell that destroys bacteria and other invaders, are found in the liver and destroy harmful bacteria.
Production
The liver produces several proteins essential for blood clotting such as fibrinogen, prothrombin and clotting factors VII, IX and X, according to North Carolina University. Albumin, a protein that helps maintain blood volume and keeps tissue fluids balanced, are produced in the liver. Globulins, another type of protein produced in the liver, play a role in the immune system and transport essential lipids, copper and iron throughout the body. Cholesterol is also manufactured in the liver.
Storage
The liver converts excess glucose, or sugar, to glycogen and stores it until needed for energy. The liver also stores iron removed from hemoglobin.
References
- University of Alabama---Birmingham: The Liver: Anatomy and Functions
- University of Southern California: About Your Liver
- North Carolina University: Functions of the Liver
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Cirrhosis
- Cytokenes and Cells Online Pathfinder Encyclopedia: Kupffer Cells
