
- Organ Name: Liver
- Organ Location: Upper right abdomen
- Organ System: Digestive System
- Organ Purpose: Up to 500 bodily functions
- Organ Weight (Adult): Between 3 to 3.5 pounds
- Organ Weight (Birth): About 4 ounces
18 Liver Facts for Kids
- The liver is a vital organ that has a wedge-like shape.
- The liver is part of the human digestive system.
- The liver is found in the upper right abdomen of the human body.
- There are up to 500 functions that the liver is believed to be responsible for in the human body.
- The liver works with the kidneys to filter out toxins and waste from the blood.
- The liver creates bile that helps break down fats in the digestive system.
- The liver stores important vitamins and minerals that the human body needs to function properly.
- The average weight of an adult male’s liver is 3.9 pounds.
- The average weight of an adult female’s liver is 2.8 pounds.
- The average blood volume in the liver is about 10% of the total volume of blood in the entire body.
- The human liver can regenerate itself. If you lost 75% of your liver the remaining 25% would be able to regenerate itself in 15 days or less.
- Viruses such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C can cause liver disease.
- Drinking too much alcohol and recreational drugs can cause live disease, like cirrhosis and fatty liver disease.
- Some liver diseases are inherited, like hemochromatosis and Wilson disease.
- A liver transplant is the process of taking part of a healthy liver and placing it into someone with a liver disease.
- A liver transplant is only attempted on people who have acute liver failure or an end-stage liver disease.
- The first liver transplant was attempt by American physician Thomas Starzl in 1963. Unfortunately, the patient died during the surgery due to uncontrollable bleeding.
- In 1967, Thomas Starzl successfully transplanted a liver into a 19-month-old girl who survived for a year.
Pictures of the Liver

A diagram showing the parts of the human liver.Credit: WebMD

A Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image of the liver.Credit: Radiopaedia

A diagram of the four different stages of liver disease.Credit: Unknown
Additional Resources About the Human Liver
- How the Liver Works – Learn how the liver works and what it does in the human body on the Stanford Children’s Health website.
- Anatomy and Functions of the Liver – Find out the different functions of the liver and its anatomy on the Johns Hopkins website.
- Liver Diseases – Discover the diseases and disorders that affect the liver on the MedlinePlus website.
- Liver – Britannica – Find more liver facts and information on the Britannica website.