Liver is the largest gland and the largest internal organ in the human body. And it certainly lives up to its reputation with its scale of operations. It absorbs toxins, aids digestion, control infections, produces cholesterol and albumin, breaks down haemoglobin, converts glucose to glycogen and amino acids to protien and even replaces the spleen when needed. In short, it supports almost every organ in the body. Now, That’s versatility! World Hepatitis Day was on May 19. Treat your liver with respect and it will serve you well through your lifetime. Did you know these facts about liver?
1. The liver of the foetus does not perform digestive functions, as the foetus does not consume food directly 2. Artificial liver is being developed by HepaLife, using stem cells. It is expected to allow the liver to regenerate, or carry out functions until a transplant is found. 3. The liver stores one pint (13 percent) of the body’s blood at any given time 4. The right hepatic lobe accounts for 60 percent of the liver, and is used for adult liver transplant 5. Human liver transplants have been performed from 1963. 6. Just 20 percent of an adult liver can regenerate into the entire liver of an infant. 7. The first living donor liver transplant was performed in 1989. 8. Dark urine is formed when bilirubin is mixed with urine.