The liver is a large organ that plays a central role in digestion. All blood carrying nutrients from the digestive tract is channeled through the hepatic portal vein to the liver, making the liver a first stop for much digested material.

Apart from these, the liver also has very important roles in the body. It regulates body metabolism by extracting nutrients into bloodstream. The liver also filters toxins out of the body. It also serves as a large reservoir of blood; the phagocytes constantly remove the debris here. The liver controls which nutrients it will store and which nutrients it will send to the rest of the body. The liver is also the first stop in the body for ingested toxins such as alcohol, making it vulnerable to damage.