The liver is the largest internal organ, located in the right upper abdomen beneath the diaphragm. It produces bile, processes nutrients absorbed from the gut, stores glycogen and makes plasma proteins. It receives blood from both the hepatic artery and the portal vein, and it is divided into right and left lobes and eight functional segments.
| Location | Right upper quadrant, under the right dome of the diaphragm, protected by the lower ribs. |
|---|---|
| Structure | Right, left, caudate and quadrate lobes; eight Couinaud segments; hepatic ducts joining to form the common hepatic duct. |
| Function | Bile production, metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, detoxification, storage of glycogen, vitamins and iron. |
| Blood supply | Dual supply: hepatic artery proper (about 25 percent) and portal vein (about 75 percent); drained by hepatic veins into the inferior vena cava. |
| Innervation | Hepatic plexus (sympathetic and parasympathetic) and right phrenic nerve fibres to the capsule. |
3D model: BodyParts3D (CC BY 4.0), adult male reference anatomy. Highlighted structure shown with nearby bones for context.
The portal triad of the portal vein, hepatic artery and bile duct enters at the porta hepatis. Bile is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder before entering the duodenum.
Bile production, metabolism, detoxification, storage and synthesis of plasma proteins.
The hepatic artery brings oxygen-rich blood, while the portal vein brings nutrient-rich blood from the intestines.
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