Related topics: patients , hepatitis c , liver disease , liver transplantation , liver failure
Liver
hideThe liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, a few of which are detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion. The liver is necessary for survival; there is currently no way to compensate for the absence of liver function.
This organ plays a major role in metabolism and has a number of functions in the body, including glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis, hormone production, and detoxification. It lies below the diaphragm in the thoracic region of the abdomen. It produces bile, an alkaline compound which aids in digestion, via the emulsification of lipids. It also performs and regulates a wide variety of high-volume biochemical reactions requiring highly specialized tissues, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecules, many of which are necessary for normal vital functions.
Medical terms related to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word for liver, hēpar (ήπαρ).
For more information about Liver, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with liver
Smoking and Drinking Linked to Bowel Cancer: Know Your Risks
Dec 17, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Besides delectable dishes that help us pack on the pounds during the holiday season, many people also let loose with a bottle of wine or a pack of cigarettes. Richard Rood, MD, says moderation ...
In a first, key pancreatic cells inserted in wounded airman's liver
Dec 17, 2009 |
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In what medical officials say is a first, the bullet-scarred pancreas from a service member who was shot in Afghanistan was flown from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington to the University of Miami, where insulin-producing ...
Scientists Uncover Protective Mechanism Against Liver Cancer
Dec 14, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of scientists from the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Osaka University in Japan have identified a protein switch that helps prevent liver damage, including inflammation, fibrosis and cancer. The ...
New suppressor of common liver cancer
Dec 15, 2009 |
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Tumor suppressor genes make proteins that help control cell growth. Mutations in these genes that generate nonfunctional proteins can contribute to tumor development and progression. One of the most well-known tumor suppressor ...
First live targeting of tumors with RNA-based technology
Nov 30, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Finding and treating a tumor without disturbing normal tissue presents challenges - sometimes the most effective therapies can be invasive and harsh.
New data show breakthrough microRNA-targeted therapy holds promise as new treatment for hepatitis C
Dec 03, 2009 |
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A study published online in this week's Science shows that SPC3649, a breakthrough microRNA-targeted therapy developed by Santaris Pharma A/S, holds promise as a novel treatment for patients infected with the Hepatitis C viru ...
Common herbal medicine may prevent acetaminophen-related liver damage
Nov 17, 2009 |
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A well-known Eastern medicine supplement may help avoid the most common cause of liver transplantation, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding came as a surprise to ...
Spontaneous liver rupture in a patient with peliosis hepatis
Dec 09, 2009 |
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Peliosis hepatis (PH) is a rare pathological entity. PH varies from minimal asymptomatic lesions to larger massive lesions that may present with cholestasis, liver failure, portal hypertension, avascular mass lesion, or even ...
Research finds kava is safe and effective
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
May 11, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- UQ research has found a traditional extract of kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety.
Secrets of a Life-Giving Amino Acid Revealed
Jul 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Selenium is a trace element crucial to life -- too little or too much of it is fatal. In the July 17 issue of the journal Science, researchers at Yale University and University of Illinois at Chi ...
Shared equipment can lead to hepatitis B outbreaks
Apr 09, 2009 |
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Patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) can occur as the result of routine clinical practices incorrectly thought to be risk-free. A review of 33 HBV outbreaks, published in the open access journal BMC Me ...
Researchers identify compound that frees trapped cholesterol
Jan 26, 2009 |
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Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified in mice a compound that liberates cholesterol that has inappropriately accumulated to excessive levels inside cells.
CT imaging taken post avastin may predict survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Dec 01, 2009 |
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Using routine computed tomography (CT) imaging to analyze form and structural changes to colorectal liver metastasis after bevacizumab and chemotherapy may predict overall survival, according to research from The University ...
Simulated training for ultrasound-guided procedures improves safety without risk to patients
Nov 29, 2009 |
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Using mannequins to teach doctors-in-training how to do ultrasound-guided procedures is an effective way to improve their skills without compromising patient care and safety, according to a new study from ...
Fat in the liver -- not the belly -- is a better marker for disease risk
Aug 24, 2009 |
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New findings from nutrition researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest that it's not whether body fat is stored in the belly that affects metabolic risk factors for diabetes, high blood triglycerides ...
