Question

Name and describe 5 function of the liver

Answer 1

Liver is the largest gland of our body, its serves major metabolic and secretory functions of our body. The functions of liver are described below.

1) secretory functions: liver cells plays a crucial role as exocrine gland. It secrets bile as a secretary product for digestion and absorption of fats.

2) Metabolic function: liver is the major organ for the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Glycogenesis ( glycogen is produced from glucose), glycogenolysis (breaking down of glycogen to glucose) and gluconeogenesis (production of glucose from non carbohydrates) are occured in the liver for the metabolism if carbohydrates. Fat molecules are digested and synthesised in the liver. The lipoprotein lipase enzyme helps in the hydrolysis of triglycerides. The beta oxidation is important for oxidation of fatty acids, this oxidation reaction is occured in the mitochondria of liver. Liver is also used for the protein metabolism, it involves protein synthesis and brakedown. Urea formation, synthesis of non-essential amino acids and energy production by deamination of amino acids are the major part of protein metabolism in liver.

3) protective function: kupffer cells in the liver helps to kill bacteria and external antigens and protect the body from the bacterial affect. Liver also helps in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of drug action and detoxify some drugs and excrete from the body and protect from the side affects of those deugs.

4) synthesis function: liver synthesize some important Enzymes, coagulation factor, plasma proteins. Coagulation factor ( fibrinogen, factor V, VII,IX and X ), enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, SGPT ) are synthesized in the liver.

5) Iron storage: Liver is an organ where almost 60% of iron is stored in the form of ferritin and haemosiderin. This store iron helps in the blood iron buffer system.