The Chinese word for Liver is Gan. The Liver is one of the five Zang Fu. The Liver system is responsible for maintaining the free flow of Qi in the body. When the Qi flows smoothly, emotions are balanced, blood and body fluids circulate smoothly, the digestive tract operates harmoniously, and a female’s menstrual cycle is regulated. The Liver also has the function of storing blood. It is thought that blood circulates in the vessels during exertion and returns to the Liver during rest. Because the Liver stores blood, it is also very involved with menstruation. The eyes, nails, and tendons are all under the influence of the Liver, and dysfunction of these body parts can indicate an imbalance in the Liver system. The Liver’s Fu organ “partner” is the Gallbladder. It is considered a “wood” organ in Five Elements theory.
A large, glandular organ located in the upper abdomen. The liver cleanses the blood and aids in digestion by secreting bile.
The liver, an organ that sometimes purifies the blood and sometimes is eaten fried with onions, is related to the word live, but only distantly: the words share a common Indo-European ancestor, a word pronounced something like leip and meaning to be sticky. Liver developed from this Indo-European source fairly directly: the bile secreted by the liver is thick and sticky, a fact that inspired the name of the organ. Live, on the other hand, developed from the same Indo-European source more circuitously. First, the word came to mean, in Germanic, to remain, the connection being that sticky things remain in place; next, the word shifted to mean to live, the connection this time being that “living” is a kind of “remaining” (just as “dying” is a “passing away”). It was this sense that the word possessed when it appeared in Old English as libban, a form that came to be respelt as live by the fourteenth century. Incidentally, the word liver is also the direct source of the name Liverpool, the famous city on the River Mersey. The name of the city literally means livered pool, the adjective livered meaning clotted and sticky like a liver, and likely referring to the weeds clotting the river when the city was founded.
A large, vascular organ of the body that lies in the upper right section of the abdominal cavity directly beneath the diaphragm. The produces bile, glycogen, and antibodies. It also interconverts proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; stores iron, copper, vitamins A and D, and detoxifies harmful substances.
A large gland in the upper part of the abdomen.
Largest and one of the most complex organs of the body, located in the upper right part of the abdominal cavity. The liver weighs about 1 pound (1.6 kg) in males, a little less in females; is dark reddish brown, soft, and solid; is divided into four lobes; and is supplied by two blood systems, the hepatic artery, bringing freshly oxygenated blood to the liver, and the hepatic portal vein (part of the portal blood system), carrying nutrients from the stomach and intestines to the liver. The liver has numerous functions: it is a site of protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism; it helps regulate the level of blood sugar, converting excess glucose into glycogen and storing it; it secretes bile, which is stored in the gallbladder before its release into the intestinal tract; it synthesizes substances involved in blood clotting (e.g., fibrinogen); it produces plasma proteins; it synthesizes vitamin A; it detoxifies poisonous substances; and it breaks down worn-out erythrocytes (red blood cells).
The largest solid organ of the body, located in the upper right abdominal area, that contains four lobes and is responsible for metabolic, excretory, and detoxification functions.
An organ that performs complex functions relating to the processing, filtering, and regulating of chemicals in the blood. The liver—the largest internal organ in the body—lies in the upper right side of the abdomen, just under the diaphragm, over the intestine on the right side and the stomach on the left.
The largest gland of the body, weighing 1200-16(X) g. Situated in the top right portion of the abdominal cavity, the liver is divided by fissures (fossae) into four lobes: the right (the largest lobe), left, quadrate, and caudate lobes. It is connected to the diaphragm and abdominal walls by five ligaments: the membranous falciform (which separates the right and left lobes), coronary, and right and left triangular ligaments and the fibrous round ligament, which is derived from the embryonic umbilical vein. Venous blood containing digested food is brought to the liver in the hepatic portal vein. Branches of this vein pass in between the lobules and terminate in the sinusoids. Oxygenated blood is supplied in the hepatic artery. The blood leaves the liver via a central vein in each lobule, which drains into the hepatic vein. The liver is supplied by parasympathetic nerve fibers from the vagus nerve and by sympathetic fibers from the solar plexus. The liver has a number of important functions. It synthesizes bile, which drains into the gall bladder before being released into the duodenum. The liver is an important site of metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It regulates the amount of blood sugar, converting excess glucose to glycogen; it removes excess amino acids by breaking them down into ammonia and finally urea; and it stores and metabolizes fats. The liver also synthesizes fibrinogen and prothrombin (essential blood-clotting substances) and heparin, an anticoagulant. It forms red blood cells in the fetus and is the site of production of plasma proteins. It has an important role in the detoxification of poisonous substances and it breaks down worn out red cells and other unwanted substances, such as excess estrogen in the male. The liver is also the site of vitamin A synthesis; this vitamin is stored in the liver, together with vitamins B12, D, and K.
The liver is the largest gland in the body, serving numerous functions, chiefly involving various aspects of metabolism.
The largest solid organ in the body, situated on the right side below the diaphragm. The liver occupies the right hypochondrium, the epigastrium, and part of the left hypochondrium, and is level with the bottom of the sternum. Its undersurface is concave and covers the stomach, duodenum, hepatic flexure of colon, right kidney, and adrenal capsule. The liver secretes bile and is the site of numerous metabolic functions.
A large organ located in the upper abdomen. The liver cleanses the blood and aids in digestion by secreting bile.
A large organ that removes harmful materials from the body and produces bile.
In the realm of culinary arts, a wide assortment of animal livers find their esteemed place in the realm of cooking. The delicate livers of calves, beef, pigs, and sheep, as well as those of poultry and game, are all cherished ingredients that grace the gastronomic creations of skilled chefs.
A compact organ positioned towards the right side in the upper abdominal region, actively involved in essential functions such as metabolism, digestion, detoxification, and expulsion of substances from the body.
The most extensive organ in the human body, this triangular, reddish-brown organ resides in the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity, situated just beneath the diaphragm.
The liver is partitioned into two primary lobes, each comprising numerous smaller lobules. These lobules are encompassed by branches of the hepatic artery, providing oxygenated blood to the liver, and the portal vein, delivering nutrient-rich blood from the small intestine. Deoxygenated blood exits the liver through the hepatic veins. A system of ducts transports bile, a digestive fluid, from the liver to both the gallbladder and the small intestine.
The liver holds significant importance within the body as it generates and manages a diverse array of chemical compounds.
The liver generates a variety of chemicals, including crucial blood plasma proteins like albumin and clotting factors. Moreover, it manufactures cholesterol and proteins that assist in transporting fats throughout the body via the bloodstream. Additionally, liver cells secrete bile, which serves to eliminate waste materials from the liver and aids in breaking down and absorbing fats within the small intestine.
Another significant role involves the conversion of nutrients into forms suitable for cellular utilization. Additionally, the liver acts as a reservoir for surplus glucose, storing it as glycogen. Furthermore, the liver maintains the appropriate blood concentration of amino acids, which are the fundamental constituents of proteins. Should amino acid levels become excessive, the liver transforms the surplus into glucose, proteins, alternative amino acids, or urea (for elimination).
Lastly, the liver contributes to the purification of the bloodstream from medications and toxins. These compounds undergo breakdown and subsequent elimination through the bile.
The liver, the body’s largest glandular organ, is positioned under the right side of the chest’s arch within the upper part of the abdomen. Measuring roughly 12 inches in width, 6 inches in thickness, and 6 inches in height at its longest point, it weighs around 3½ pounds. It’s responsible for producing bile and creating glucose, which is stored as glycogen. This storage acts as the body’s energy reserve, which can be rapidly converted back to glucose when needed. Interestingly, while the liver is vital for survival, a significant portion can be compromised without leading to fatality.