How the Liver Works
The liver is one of the largest and most complex organs in the body. It weighs about one pound in adults and is made up of a spongy mass of wedge-shaped lobes. The liver has numerous functions that are necessary for life. The liver helps process carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and stores vitamins. It processes nutrients absorbed from food in the intestines and turns them into materials that the body needs for life. For example, it makes the factors that the blood needs for clotting. It also secretes bile to help digest fats, and breaks down toxic substances in the blood such as drugs and alcohol. The liver is also responsible for the metabolism of most drugs.
Common Diseases That May Lead to Transplantation
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- Acute hepatic necrosis
- Cirrhosis
- Metabolic diseases
- Portal hypertension
- Hepatitis (viral, autoimmune and idiopapathic)
- Liver tumors
- Biliary atresia
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