Liver Structure and Function as Excreting Systems The liver is the largest gland in the body, weighing around 1.5 kg or around 3-5% of body weight. The liver obtains blood from the hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein.The blood transported by the hepatic artery is 30% of the total amount of blood in the liver. This blood comes from the branching aorta so it is rich in oxygen. Meanwhile, the blood transported by the hepatic portal vein is 70% of the total amount of blood in the liver.This blood transports many food substances from the small intestine. In this organ there is only one type of vessel that carries blood out of the liver, namely the hepatic vein.Apart from blood vessels, the liver is also equipped with bile ducts which transport bile production from the liver to the duodenum. a. Structure and Function of the Liver The liver on the outside is equipped with a thin membrane called the hepatic membrane (capsula hepatica). In liver tissue there are several blood vessels. The hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein have branches called sinusoids. The sinusoids in the hepatic portal vein will form veins. This liver tissue is composed of liver cells called hepatocytes.The layers of hepatocytes are separated by lacunae, while the hepatocytes are separated from each other by canaliculi which is where bile is produced. These canaliculi then join to form bile vessels that function to transport bile fluid to the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a temporary storage place before the bile flows into the duodenum. In the sinusoids, cell specialization occurs to form Kupffer cells. These Kupffer cells have phagocytic properties.If during the digestive process in the small intestine there are foreign organisms or dangerous substances, these cells will destroy the foreign organisms or dangerous substances by phagocytosis. This destruction process will produce bilirubin pigment. Bilirubin then flows into the canaliculi and is excreted as bile. This is what makes the liver function as a means of excretion. Bile is a greenish liquid and has a bitter taste. Bile has a pH of around 7–7.6 and contains cholesterol, mineral salts, bile salts, and the pigments bilirubin and biliverdin.If the bile ducts are blocked, bile enters the bloodstream so that the sufferer's skin becomes yellowish. Therefore, people who experience it are indicated to be suffering from jaundice. b. Liver Disorders and Abnormalities The liver is the largest organ in the human body. In the liver, important processes for our lives occur, namely the process of storing energy, forming proteins and bile acids, regulating cholesterol metabolism, and neutralizing poisons or drugs that enter our body. If liver function is disrupted, there will be a complex impact on body health.Below we will explain several disorders and disorders of the liver. Hepatitis, is inflammation of the liver cells.This inflammation is caused by viruses, especially hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses. In general, people with hepatitis A and E can be cured, whereas hepatitis B and C can become chronic. Meanwhile, hepatitis D can only attack sufferers who have been infected with the hepatitis B virus, so this condition can make the sufferer's condition worse.Cirrhosis of the liver, is a liver disorder caused by too much connective tissue in the liver. Liver cirrhosis can occur due to ongoing hepatitis B and C viruses.The development of this virus can be triggered by excessive alcohol consumption, malnutrition, or other diseases caused by blockage of the bile ducts. This disease cannot yet be cured. Meanwhile, the treatment carried out is only useful for treating complications that occur such as diarrhea, enlarged stomach, yellow eyes, and hepatic coma. Liver cancer is a liver disorder caused by the development of cancer cells in liver tissue.This cancer is a late complication of chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis B, C and hemochromatic viruses. Fatty liver is a liver disorder caused by the accumulation of fat that exceeds 5% of the weight of the liver, so that this fat burdens more than half of the liver tissue. Fatty liver often has the potential to cause liver cirrhosis. This disorder can be triggered by excessive alcohol consumption. Cholestasis and Jaundice are conditions resulting from failure of the liver to produce and/or expel bile. Cholestasis can cause failure in the absorption of fats and vitamins A, D, E and K by the intestines, and can also cause a buildup of bile acids, bilirubin and cholesterol in the liver. Hemochromatosis is a metabolic disorder characterized by excessive iron deposition in the tissues. This disease is genetic or hereditary.