Liver facts, Liver function, regeneration

Facts about the liver- interesting facts about the liver

Liver, the largest vital glandular organ of the body, is reddish brown with four lobes of unequal shape and size.

It weighs about 3 pounds (1.36 kg), and is located below the diaphragm on the right-hand side of the abdominal cavity.
The liver is connected to 2 large blood vessels - the portal vein and the hepatic artery.

The liver functions include protein synthesis, detoxification, and biochemicals production which is essential for digestion and survival.

No other organs can replace the liver functions in its absence.

The "end stage liver failure"-Liver damage that can lead to liver failure..

Liver functions - liver cell functions

The liver has many complex and important functions.
It secretes or metabolizes harmful toxins, such as bilirubin from old red blood cells breakdown, and ammonia from proteins breakdown, that are produced by the body, alcohol, drugs, and environmental toxins.

The liver manufactures proteins, including blood clotting factors and albumin, synthesizes, stores, and processes fats, including cholesterol and fatty acids.

It uses stored carbohydrates as a sugar source in the blood which the brain and red blood cells use.

It helps in intestinal absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K and fats by forming bile which contains bile acid.

Liver Regeneration-liver cell regeneration time

Liver is the only organ that is able to regenerate lost tissues naturally. A whole liver can be generated by as little as 25% of liver.
Because of the hyptochronatin cells in the remaining liver, it can grow back in 8 years.

During the regenration process, hepatocytes re-enters the cell cycle - from quiescent G0 to G1 phase and undergoes mitosis. The p75 receptors activates this process.

Bipotential stem cells - hepatic oval cells or ovalocytes, differentiates into either cholangiocytes or hepatocytes, and resides in the Hering canals. Cholangiocytes cells line the bile ducts.