Functions of Liver in

Human Body
ANATOMY: Locate liver by percussing upper right quadrant of
abdomen
PHYSIOLOGY: Liver is blood processing organ with dual blood
supply.
HISTOLOGY: Blood mixes in sinusoids where hepatocytes “do
their magic”
CELL BIOLOGY: Multiple functions for hepatocytes.
Manufacture cholesterol for use and recycling in digestion (via
bile) and delivery to cells of body via circulatory system (via
central vein of liver lobules).

Government Degree College

No .1
 Function of Liver in Human Body

Functions of Liver in Human Body

What is Liver and where it is located.

The liver is located in the upper right-hand portion of the abdominal cavity, beneath the
diaphragm (a sheet of muscle separating the chest and the abdomen), and on top of the
stomach, right kidney, and intestines. The gall bladder is attached to the lower portion of the
right side of the liver.

Shaped like a cone, the liver is a dark reddish-brown organ that weighs about 1.2 kg. There
are two distinct sources that supply blood to the liver:

 Oxygenated blood flows in from the hepatic artery

 Nutrient-rich blood flows in from the hepatic portal vein
 The liver holds about 500 ml (13 percent) of the body's blood supply at any given
moment.

The liver consists of two main lobes - the right and the left, both of which are made up of
thousands of lobules. These lobules are connected to small ducts that connect with larger
ducts to ultimately form the hepatic duct. The hepatic duct transports the bile produced by the
liver cells to the gallbladder and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine).

Function of Liver in Human Body

What does the liver do? The liver regulates most chemical levels in the blood and excretes a product
called "bile," which helps carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood leaving the
stomach and intestines passes through the liver. The liver processes this blood and breaks down the
nutrients and drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body.
 Function of Liver in Human Body

The liver is the most complex and metabolically active organ in the body. It performs more
than 500 vital functions. Some of the important ones are

 It provides immunity against infection. Hence if the liver is damaged, infections are
more likely.
 It is the factory for manufacturing most of the important proteins in the body, and
also cholesterol and special fat forms called lipoproteins in which all body fats are
carried.
 It clears the blood of most chemicals, drugs and alcohol.
 It excretes bile into the intestine. Bile is vital for digestion of fats, and also serves to
throw out body wastes.
 It regulates clotting of blood by manufacturing vital proteins
 It converts and stores extra sugar (glucose) in the form of starch (glycogen) which can
be used in times of starvation.
 What makes the liver unique? RESERVE
 All liver functions remain normal even if 70% of it is removed (provided the
remaining 30% is healthy). Hence, in persons with cancer of the liver, large portions
of cancerous liver can be removed without causing harm or compromise to liver
function. Similarly, more than half the liver can be removed from the donor for
transplantation purposes, without causing any derangement of liver function or any
other serious harm to the donor.
 REGENERATION
 The liver is the only organ in the body which can regenerate itself after large portions
of it are removed. Small remnants of liver grow back to normal size within a few
weeks. This is another reason why it is safe to remove large portions of liver from
living donors and persons with liver tumours.
 This is also why half livers transplanted into liver failure patients are very successful
since they soon grow to normal size.