How does the liver work?

The liver is the largest internal organ, weighing about 1.5 kilograms in adults, and it receives blood both from the heart and directly from the intestines through the hepatic portal vein. Its cells, called hepatocytes, convert nutrients into forms the body can use and store glucose as glycogen for later energy. The liver breaks down alcohol, medicines and other toxins so they can be removed. It produces bile, which is stored in the gallbladder and helps digest fats, and it makes key proteins, including albumin and blood-clotting factors. Remarkably, the liver can regenerate: it can regrow to full size even after a large part is removed.