Functions of the Liver

• The liver intercepts blood from the gut to regulate nutrient levels
• Some nutrients in excess can be stored in the liver
• Surplus cholesterol is converted into bile salts
• The liver removes toxins from the blood and detoxifies them
• Endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in hepatocytes produce plasma proteins
• Components of red blood cells are recycled by the liver
• The breakdown of erythrocytes starts with phagocytosis of red blood cells by Kupffer cells
• Iron is carried to the bone marrow to produce haemoglobin in new red blood cells