liver and its function

Liver and Its Role

Location and Appearance

In body, it is the biggest gland. It looks dark-reddish in colour.It is multi-lobed and present at the right side of the abdomen under the diaphragm.

Weight

Its size is of football and 1.5kg in weight.

Gallbladder

It is pear-shaped sac which is greenish yellow in color.

Its location

On ventral side, it is present at the right lobe of liver.

Bile

 Bile is the dark green or yellowish brown liquid. Liver releases bile that is stored in the gall bladder. Through common bile duct, bile is released into duodenum when gallbladder is contracted. No enzyme is present in the bile but for the emulsification of the lipid it has bile salts.    

                                       

 Liver also perform many other functions besides digestion such as

·         It helps in the process called de-amination that is removal of amino groups from amino acids.

·         It helps in the formation of urea by conversion of ammonia to a less harmful form (urea).

·         It helps in the destruction of old red blood cells.

·         It helps in the manufacturing of fibrinogen (blood clotting protein).

·         Its function is the conversion of glucose into glycogen and glycogen into glucose according to the requirement.

·         It forms cholesterol and help in the conversion of protein and carbohydrates into lipids.

·         To maintain the body temperature, it forms heat.

·         It stores many mineral ions like iron and also stores fat-soluble vitamin like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.