The liver is a very special organ. It is the largest, heaviest internal organ, and it has amazing powers of regeneration. If you were to cut off more than half of your liver, it would grow back into a whole organ! What makes it really special, though, is the number of vital jobs it performs in our bodies. A lot of focus is placed on the heart and the brain, but the liver is just as important, and it is time to see why.
Anatomy of the Liver
The liver lies in the right upper quadrant of our abdomen, and appears to be tucked underneath the right lung. It weighs about 3 pounds and is divided into four separate lobes. Nestled against it is the gallbladder, a small organ that collects and concentrates the bile that the liver secretes.
The cells that make up the liver and carry out its functions are called hepatocytes. Currently, there are no medical interventions that can replace what they do. Although it is possible to live without your kidneys as long as you receive dialysis, there is no such artificial liver machine.
The Liver's Job
- It stores a large amount of the body's blood, and can release it in an emergency.
- It produces bile, which helps with the digestion of fats. (The gallbladder only stores bile; it doesn't make it.)
- It helps break down old blood.
- It helps clean the blood.
- It synthesizes necessary clotting factors. When we are cut, clotting factors help form the blood clots that stop the bleeding.
- It converts ammonia from broken-down proteins into urea, which can then be excreted through the kidneys. If not for this, toxic levels of ammonia build up in the body. This is a condition that can happen in advanced liver disease.
- It stores glycogen, a form of sugar in our bodies. When our blood sugar is low, our liver releases sugar to make sure our body gets the energy it needs. When our blood sugar is high, it stores extra sugar as glycogen.
- It stores vitamins and minerals, including copper, iron, and vitamins B12, D, E, and K.
- It is responsible for detoxifying chemicals, hormones, and molecules in the body.
The Hepatic System, Not Just a Toxin Cleaner
It's true that one of the functions of the liver is to clean the blood and neutralize toxins in the body. However, as you can now see, that is not the only job it performs. It is a key component in controlling blood sugar, is an accessory in food digestion, and it helps us stop bleeding when we are cut -- among other things!
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