The liver performs many metabolic functions. It converts nutrients found in food into energy and stores them for later use. It also synthesizes cholesterol and produces bile, a fluid that removes waste products and gives stools their color. The liver is responsible for producing blood during fetal development. As an adult, it also acts as the blood recycler. It releases plasma proteins necessary for blood clotting and recycles damaged and old blood cells.
The liver is also responsible for the metabolism of proteins. The liver cells break down proteins into amino acids. These amino acids are then used by the body to produce energy, carbohydrates, and fats. In addition to storing nutrients, liver cells also break down ammonia to produce urea, a less toxic chemical. Urea passes out of the body in the form of urine. This is why liver cells are so vital for the body’s health.
The liver is responsible for many metabolic functions including the synthesis of lipoproteins and deamination proteins as well as the conversion of ammonia into urea. The liver plays a crucial role in digestion by producing bile as well as vitamin K. Some of this bile is drained directly into the duodenum while some is stored in your gallbladder. Insulin-like growth factor 1 is a hormone produced by the liver. It plays an important role in childhood growth, and continues to have anabolic properties in adulthood.
The liver is the largest organ in the human body and is located in the right upper abdomen. It occupies most of the space between the ribs and intestines. It has two lobes, the right lobe is bigger than the left. The lobes are connected by a band of connective tissue. The liver also houses the gallbladder, which is located in a small hollow under the right side of the liver.
The liver has four lobes. The caudate lobe is much smaller than the quadrate lobe. The liver is connected to the abdominal wall by the falciform ligament and the left hepatic arterial. The liver is divided into lobules with thousands of lobules. The lobules drain towards the common hepatic conduit.
The liver has a dual blood supply. The liver receives 75% of its blood supply from the hepatic portal vein, while the hepatic vessels provide 25%. Both of these sources provide oxygen to the liver. Both sources provide approximately half of the liver’s oxygen requirements. The hepatic artery contains alpha-adrenergic receptors and the splanchnic nerves control the flow of blood in the liver.
Maintaining good health is dependent on your liver health. Exercise promotes liver health, and alcohol consumption is harmful to the liver. Insufficient exercise and fatty foods are known to lead to hepatic encephalopathy, which can cause coma and be fatal. Hepatitis C, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases, can also affect the liver. Vaccines can prevent liver damage.
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