Synonyms
Medical: hepar liver flap, liver cell, liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, fatty liver
Definition
The liver is the central metabolic organ of humans. Its tasks include the food-dependent storage, conversion and release of sugars and fats, the breakdown and excretion of endogenous and medicinal toxins, the formation of most blood proteins and bile, and numerous other tasks.
Function of the liver
Metabolic performance of liver cellsThe liver performs many metabolic tasks. The most important services are listed below.
Production of blood proteins
The blood contains a multitude of proteins (plasma proteins), each of which has very specific functions. With the exception of one class of blood proteins, namely the antibodies (gamma globulins) of the immune system (defense system), all the others are produced by the liver and released into the blood. These include the proteins for blood clotting (clotting factors), for the defense system (complement system), for transport and many other functions.
With the help of a special examination of these proteins, electrophoresis, it is possible to find out something about the liver’s production capacity. During an acute inflammation in the body, the liver can change its production a little. It then produces more of the so-called acute-phase proteins (C-reactive protein (CRP value), haptoglobin and others), which are helpful in fighting the inflammation. They also lead to an increase in the blood cell sedimentation rate (BSG), a simple test used in medical diagnostics.
Production of hormones
The liver produces some hormones. It is involved in the body’s own production of vitamin D3. This is a hormone that is necessary for the regulation of the calcium balance.
It also produces IGF-1, a hormone that accelerates growth and muscle building and is even used in sports doping (doping, anabolic steroids). Another important hormone (more precisely, a precursor) is angiotensinogen. This is directly involved in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid balance. Medications known as ACE inhibitors are prescribed to treat high blood pressure.
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