Table 1.

Functions of the liver

Categories	Subcategories
Metabolic	Carbohydrates; gluconeogenesis, storage and breakdown of glycogen
	Proteins; including deamination of ammonia to form urea
	Fats; triglycerides and cholesterol
	Bilirubin; conjugation to become water soluble
	Drugs; transforming from lipid to water soluble by oxidation, conjugation, reduction, hydrolysis, methylation and acetylation
Synthetic	Haematological role; production of clotting factors (II, V, VII, IX, X and XI), protein C, protein S and anti-thrombin
	Bile acids
	Plasma cholinesterases
	Albumin and α1-acid glycoprotein
Storage	Vitamin storage; A,D, K, B12 and folate
	Glycogen
	Iron and copper