Function of liver in digestive system

Anatomy of the liver The liver is located in the upper right-hand portion of the abdominal cavity, beneath the diaphragm, and on top of the stomach, right kidney, and intestines. Shaped like a cone, the liver is a dark reddish-brown organ that weighs about 3 pounds. There are 2 distinct sources that supply blood to the liver, including the following: • Oxygenated blood flows in from the hepatic artery • Nutrient-rich blood flows in from the hepatic portal vein The liver holds about one pint (13%) of the body's blood supply at any given moment. The liver consists of2 main lobes. Both are made up of8 segments that consist of 1,000 lobules (small lobes). These lobules are connected to small ducts (tubes) that connect with larger ducts to form the common hepatic duct. The common hepatic duct transports the bile made by the liver cells to the gallbladder and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) via the common bile duct. Functions of the liver The liver regulates most chemical levels in the blood and excretes a product called bile. This helps carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver. The liver processes this blood and breaks down, balances, and creates the nutrients and also metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the bodyor that are nontoxic. More than 500 vital functions have been identified with the liver. Some of the more well-known functions include the followi...

Once food has gone through the initial process of digestion in the stomach, it moves into the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine). Bile and other digestive secretions travel into the duodenum via the biliary tract's system of bile ducts. These continue the digestive process by breaking down food so its nutrients can be absorbed. Duodenum: This is the first of three sections of the small intestine, and receives food from the stomach and digestive juices from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas via the biliary tract. This is the part of the small intestine that is primarily involved in breaking down food so that nutrients can later be absorbed in the jejunum (middle section of the small intestine). Bile: A thick, greenish-brown substance made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder, bile is comprised of water, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, bile pigments (such as bilirubin), and electrolytes. It is important in enabling the body to digest and absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins D and K. • From the liver, where bile is made in the liver cells, next it flows into a system of ducts located inside and outside of the liver. These ducts function to collect the bile. Once collected, the bile travels to the right and left hepatic ducts. • From the right and left hepatic ducts, bile then flows into the common hepatic duct. • The common hepatic duct joins the cystic duct, where the bile then flows. • The cystic duct is connected to the g...

Structure of the Digestive System What is the digestive system? Your digestive system is a network of organs that help you digest and absorb nutrition from your food. It includes your gastrointestinal (GI) tract and your biliary system. Your GI tract is a series of hollow organs that are all connected to each other, leading from your mouth to your anus. Your biliary system is a network of three organs that deliver bile and enzymes through to your GI tract your bile ducts. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract The organs that make up your GI tract, in the order that they are connected, include your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus. Biliary system Your biliary system includes your liver, gallbladder, pancreas and bile ducts. What does the digestive system do? Your digestive system is uniquely constructed to do its job of turning your food into the nutrients and energy you need to survive. And when it’s done with that, it handily packages your solid waste, or stool, for disposal when you have a bowel movement. Why is digestion important? Digestion is important because your body needs nutrients from the food you eat and the liquids you drink in order to stay healthy and function properly. Nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Your digestive system breaks down and absorbs nutrients from the food and liquids you consume to use for important things like energy, growth and repairing cells. Anatomy What organs make ...

The liver is the heaviest organ in the body and one of the largest. It's located in the upper right portion of your belly under the ribs and is responsible for functions vital to life. The liver primarily processes nutrients from food, makes bile, removes toxins from the body, and builds proteins. It metabolizes many drugs. It breaks down fat and produces cholesterol. It converts glycogen into glucose. It creates immune factors necessary to fight infection. It's easy to see how inflammation of the liver, or Fortunately, the liver is extremely resilient and most cases of liver inflammation don't even come to medical attention, but in cases of the severe Making Bile Bile is a thick, green-yellow fluid that the liver produces to help digest food, especially fat, as it passes from the stomach to the intestines. This fluid is made in the liver but is stored in a nearby sac called the gallbladder. When a person eats a meal heavy in fat, like a juicy steak, the body will use its Removing Toxins From the Blood All of the blood in the body will eventually pass through the liver. This is important because the liver needs to pull out any bad things in the blood, such as toxins, and remove them from the body. It metabolizes many drugs and alcohol and helps remove other toxins such as damaged cells, proteins and old hormones. The liver prepares all of these types of toxins to be removed from the body. However, when the liver is damaged, these toxins can't be removed and they start to a...

The liver’s major functions are in the metabolic processes of the body. These include: • breaking down or converting certain substances • balancing energy metabolism by converting glycogen to glucose and storing extra glucose by converting it to glycogen • making toxins less harmful to the body and removing them from the bloodstream The liver does this by receiving blood with nutrients from the digestive organs via a vein known as the The many cells of the liver, known as hepatocytes, accept and filter this blood. They act as little sorting centers, determining: • which nutrients should be processed • what should be stored • what should be eliminated via the stool • what should go back to the blood The liver stores The liver also produces an estimated The liver produces and breaks down proteins as well. The byproduct of breaking down amino acid proteins is called ammonia, which can be toxic to the body in large amounts. The liver turns the toxic ammonia into a substance called urea. The liver releases this into the blood where the kidneys excrete it via the urine. The liver also removes alcohol from the blood, as well as affects many medications a person takes. As if these functions weren’t enough, the liver also plays major roles in the following: • creating immune system factors that can fight against infection • creating proteins responsible for blood clotting • breaking down old and damaged red blood cells • storing extra blood sugar as glycogen When taking all this in...

5 of 7 Pancreas, liver and gallbladder In the upper section of your small intestine (duodenum), digestion continues as chyme from the stomach mixes with a variety of digestive juices from your pancreas, liver and gallbladder: • Pancreas. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes that help break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats. • Liver. The liver produces bile, a solution that helps you digest fats. • Gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile. As fatty food enters the upper portion of your small intestine (the duodenum), the gallbladder squeezes bile into the small intestine through the bile ducts. • Your digestive system and how it works. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019. • Naish J, et al., eds. The alimentary system. In: Medical Sciences. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019. • The digestive system. International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. https://www.iffgd.org/manage-your-health/the-digestive-system.html?showall=1. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.