The liver has multiple functions. It makes many of the chemicals required by the body to function normally, it breaks down and detoxifies substances in the body, and it also acts as a storage unit.
Hepatocytes (hepar=liver + cyte=cell) are responsible for making many of the proteins (protein synthesis) in the body that are required for many functions, including blood clotting factors, and albumin, required to maintain fluid within the circulation system. The liver is also responsible for manufacturing cholesterol and triglycerides. Carbohydrates are also produced in the liver and the organ is responsible for turning glucose into glycogen that can be stored both in the liver and in the muscle cells. The liver also makes bile that helps with food digestion .
The liver plays an important role in detoxifying the body by converting ammonia, a byproduct of metabolism in the body, into urea that is excreted in the urine by the kidneys. The liver also breaks down medications and drugs , including alcohol, and is responsible for breaking down insulin and other hormones in the body.
The liver is also stores vitamins and chemicals that the body requires as building blocks. These includes:
vitamin B12,
folic acid ,
iron required to make red blood cells ,
vitamin A for vision,
vitamin D for calcium absorption, and
vitamin K to help blood to clot properly.
