The Liver

The liver is the body's largest internal organ and its primary chemical factory. It performs over 500 critical tasks, from filtering blood to producing essential proteins.

Did you know? The liver is the *only* organ in the human body that can regenerate itself. A living donor can safely give a portion of their liver, and both livers will grow back to full size!

Main Functions

Detoxification: Acts as the body's built-in filter, breaking down and removing toxins, drugs, and harmful chemicals from the bloodstream.
Digestion & Bile Production: Produces bile, a fluid that helps break down fats in the small intestine so they can be absorbed as energy.
Metabolism & Storage: Converts food into energy (glucose), stores essential vitamins (A, D, E, K), and regulates blood clotting factors.

Transplant Process

Evaluation & Urgency

Patients with end-stage liver disease or acute liver failure undergo rigorous testing. They are placed on the national waitlist based on a MELD score (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease), which determines medical urgency.

Living or Deceased Donation

A liver can come from a deceased donor or a living donor. Because the liver regenerates, a healthy living donor can safely donate a segment of their liver to a recipient in need.

Implantation & Regeneration

During the complex surgery, the diseased liver is removed and the healthy donor segment is implanted. Over the next few weeks, both the donor's remaining liver and the recipient's new segment grow back to full size.

Lifelong Care

Recipients take immunosuppressant medications to prevent rejection. With proper medical management, liver recipients can enjoy long, healthy, and active lives.

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