liver

• Hepatic portal vein 


  Connects capillaries from small intestines to liver
• Hepatic vein 


  Leaves your liver to inferior vena cava
• Livers functions

  • it stores excess glucose as glycogen
  • detoxifies blood of alcohol, drugs etc
  • recycles red blood cells
  • produces and secretes bile that plays a role in the breakdown of fats
  • deamination of amino acids
  • stores iron and some vitamins
• What is deamination 


  Converts excess amino acids into fatty acids and urea by removing the N-containing part
• What is urea 


  A toxin and is excreted from the body by the kidneys
• Steps of assimilation in the liver

  1. small intestines absorbs products of digestion
  2. nutrient molecules travel in hepatic portal vein to liver
  3. liver monitors blood content
  4. blood enters the general circulation by hepatic veins which empty into inferior vena cava