Illustration of the vessels of the liver, view from behind. The liver is the central organ of the entire metabolism and the largest gland in the human body. Main tasks are the production of essential proteins, utilization of food constituents, the bile production and, consequently, the reduction and elimination of metabolic products. Energy and nutrients are absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream, and then transported via the portal vein into the liver, where they are either used directly or redistributed via blood stream.
