The liver is a large solid organ situated in the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity.In the living subject,the liver is reddish brown in colour,soft in consistency and friable.It weights about 1600 g in males and about 1300 in females. Location: The liver occupies the whole of the right hypochondrium,the greater part of the epigastrium and extend into the left hypochondrium reaching up to the left lateral line. The liver is the largest gland in the body.It secrets bile and performs various other metabolic functions.

External features: Five surface and one prominent border.Five surfaces are: 1)Anterior 2)Posterior 3)Superior 4)Inferior 5)Right surface. One prominent border which is inferior border is sharp anteriorly where it separates the anterior surface from the inferior surface. Two lobes:The liver is divided into right and left lobes by the attachment of the falciform ligament anteriorly and superiorly;by the fissure of the ligamentum teres inferiorly;and by the fissure for the ligamentum venosus posteriorly.The right lobe is much larger than the left lobeand forms five sixth of the liver.It contributes to all the five surfaces of the liver and presents the caudate and quadrent lobes.

The caudate lobe is situated on the posterior surface and the quadrent lobe situated on the inferior surface. The porta hepatis is a deep,transverse fissure about 5 cm long,situated on the inferior surface of the right lobe of the liver.It lies between the caudate and quadrate lobe.

The portal vein and the hepatic plexus of nerves enter the liver through the porta hepatis,while the right and left hepatic ducts and a few lymphatics leave it. Blood supply: The liver receive 20% of its blood supply from hepatic artery and 80% through the portal vein. Venous drainage:

The hepatic veins are arranged in two groups:upper and lower.The upper groupe consists of three large veins right,left and middle,which emerge through the upper part of the groove for the inferior vana cava.The lower group consists of a variable number of small veins from the right lobe and the caudate lobewhich emerge through the lower part of the caval groove and open into vana cave.

Lymphatic drainage: The superficial lymphatics of the liver run on the surface of the organ beneath the perotoneum and terminal in caval,hepatic,paracardial and coeliac lymph nodes. Nerve supply:The liver receives its nerve supply from the hepatic plexus which contain both sympathetic and parasympathetic or vagal fibers. Function ofthe liver:

1)Metabolism of carbohydrates,fats and proteins.

2)Synthesis of bile and prothrombin.

3)Excretion of drugs,toxins,poisons,cholesterol,bile pigments and heavy metals.

4)Protective by conjugation,destruction,phagocytosis,antibody formationand excretion.

5)Storage of glycogen,iron,fat,vitamin A and D. Clinical anatomy of the liver:

1.Inflammation of the liver is referred to as hepatitis. 2.Under certain conditions liver tissue undergoes fibrosis and shrinks.This is called cirrosis of liver. 3.Liver biopsy needs to be done certain clinical conditions.Liver biopsy needle is passed through right 8th intercostal space.It transverses both the pleural and peritoneal cavities.