Note: For background on this series, please read the Introduction to the 32-Parts Project.
Sheep liver, courtesy Wikipedia
The liver is a vital organ (you can’t live without it) that rests high in the abdominal cavity beneath the right ribs. Although it is not part of the digestive tract, the liver is part of your digestive system.
The liver, which is also a gland, secretes bile (stored in the gall bladder) into the small intestine to emulsify fats for absorption. A true multi-tasker, the liver processes every bit of food that comes into the body, converts and stores sugars, detoxifies all manner of chemicals, and secretes a number of hormones, particularly those involved with blood clotting.
The liver has two blood supplies. One brings oxygenated blood from the lungs through the hepatic artery. The other brings blood containing digested food directly from the small intestines through the hepatic portal vein.
The liver is easily damaged by overuse of alcohol and drugs and other chemicals. Liver failure can be a slow process that can go unnoticed for a long time or it can happen within hours. Eat the wrong kind of mushrooms, and, if a donor isn’t found within hours, death is immanent. Liver transplants have been done since 1963 and the procedure is one of the most expensive. The liver is the only internal organ that can regenerate itself. A new organ can grow from as little as 25% of tissue.
Note: For background on this series, please read the Introduction to the 32-Parts Project.
