(Posted:06-Jul-2015)

Carbohydrate metabolism: In carbohydrate metabolism,the liver performs the following functions: 1)Storage of large amounts of glycogen. 2)Conversion of galactoseand fructose to glucose. 3)Gluconeogenesis. 4)Formation of many chemical compounds from intermediate products of carbohydrate metabolism. The liver is especially important for maintaining a normal blood glucose concentration.Storage of glycogen allows the liver to remove excess glucose from the blood,store it and then return it to the blood when the blood glucose concentrations begins to fall too low. This is called the glucose buffer function of the liver. Gluconeogenesis in the liver is also important in maintaining a normal blood glucose concentration because gluconeogenesis occurs to a significant extent only when the glucose concentration falls below normal.The large amounts of amino acidsand glycerol from triglycerides are converted into glucose,thereby helping to maintain a relatively normal blood glucose concentration. Fat metabolism: Although most cells of the body metabolize fat,certain aspects of fat metabolism occur mainly in the liver.Specific functions of thr liver in fat metabolism: 1) Oxidation of fat metabolism. 2)Synthesis of large quantities of cholesterol,phospholipid and most lipoproteins. 3)Synthesis of fat from proteins and carbohydrates. To drive energy from natural fats,the fat is first split into glycerol fatty acid.then the fatty acids split by beta-oxidationinto two-carbon acetyl radicalsthat forms acetyl coenzyme A.This can enter into citric acid cycle and be oxidized to liberate tremendous amount ofs of energy. About 80% percent of the cholesterol synthesized in the liver is converted into bile salt,which are secreted into the bile,the remainder is transported in the lipoproteins and carried by the blood to the tissue cells everywhere in the body .Both cholesterol and phospholipid are used by the cells to form membranes,intracellular structures and multiple chemical substances that are important to cellular function. Protein metabolism: The body cannot dispense with the liver's contribution to protein metabolism for more than a few days without days ensuing. 1)Deamination of amino acid. 2)Formation of urea for removal of ammonia from the body fluids. 3)formation of plasma proteins. 4)Interconversions of the various amino acids and synthesis of other compounds from amino acids.