Your liver is the largest internal organ in your body -- and has a bunch of important jobs to do. Find out how it filters out toxins, helps break down the food you eat, and builds proteins...

Controls immune responses. When bacteria, viruses, and other harmful organisms enter your body, your liver can find and destroy them. This is done by specialized cells in your liver. Controlling glucose. The liver helps your body maintain a healthy level of blood sugar. Your liver supplies glucose to your blood when it’s needed.

Each part of your digestive system helps to move food and liquid through your GI tract, break food and liquid into smaller parts, or both. Once foods are broken into small enough parts, your body can absorb and move the nutrients to where they are needed.

If your blood sugar levels increase, for example after a meal, the liver removes sugar from blood supplied by the portal vein and stores it in the form of glycogen. If someone’s blood sugar levels are too low, the liver breaks down glycogen and releases sugar into the blood.