Human liver

Liver
Human liver shown in abdomen
Location of human liver (in red) in animation
Details
Precursor	Foregut
System	Digestive system
Artery	Hepatic artery
Vein	Hepatic vein and hepatic portal vein
Nerve	Celiac ganglia and vagus nerve
Identifiers
Latin	Jecur, iecur
Greek	Hepar (ἧπαρ) root hepat- (ἡπατ-)
MeSH	A03.62
TA	A05.8.01.001
FMA	7197
Anatomical terminology []

The liver is a vital organ of vertebrates and some other animals. In the human, it is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, below the diaphragm. The liver has a wide range of functions, including detoxification of various metabolites, protein synthesis, and the production of biochemicals necessary for digestion.

The liver is a gland and plays a major role in metabolism with numerous functions in the human body, including regulation of glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis, hormone production, and detoxification. It is an accessory digestive gland and produces bile, an alkaline compound which aids in digestion via the emulsification of lipids. The gallbladder, a small pouch that sits just under the liver, stores bile produced by the liver. The liver's highly specialized tissue consisting of mostly regulates a wide variety of high-volume biochemical reactions, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecules, many of which are necessary for normal vital functions. Estimates regarding the organ's total number of functions vary, but textbooks generally cite it being around 500.