In the liver, nutrients taken up from food are utilized for the synthesis of different components of the body, and the waste matter and harmful substances produced are disposed or detoxicated. These functions of the liver must be regulated in accordance with the state of the body. The nervous system plays this regulatory role, one which is reminiscent of the production management system in a factory.

Proceedings of the Falk Symposium 103, held in Freiburg, Germany, on October 4-5, 1997.

THE encyclopedic guide to hepatology – for consultation by clinicians and basic scientists Previously the Oxford Textbook of Clinical Hepatology, this two-volume textbook is now with Blackwell Publishing. It covers basic, clinical and translational science (converting basic science discoveries into the practical applications to benefit people). Edited by ten leading experts in the liver and biliary tract and their diseases, along with outstanding contributions from over 200 international clinicians, this text has global references, evidence and extensive subject matter – giving you the best science and clinical practice discussed by the best authors. It includes unique sections on: Symptoms and signs in liver disease Industrial diseases affecting the liver The effects of diseases of other systems on the liver The effects of liver diseases on other systems It's bigger and more extensive than other books and discusses new areas in more depth such as stem cells, genetics, genomics, proteomics, transplantation, mathematics and much more. Plus, it comes with a fully searchable CD ROM of the entire content. Click here to view a sample chapter on the liver and coagulation

The liver is an exceptionally complex and diverse organ that functions both as an exocrine and an endocrine gland. It secretes bile, which contains many con stituents in addition to bile salts, and it synthesizes and releases many substances in response to the body's demands, including prohormones, albumin, clotting factors, glucose, fatty acids, and various lipoproteins. It has a dual blood supply providing a rich mixture of nutrients and other absorbed substances via the portal vein and oxygen-rich blood via the hepatic artery. This functional heterogeneity is accompanied by cellular heterogeneity. The liver contains many cell types including hepatic parachymal cells, Kiipffer cells, Ito cells, and endothelial cells. The most abundant cell type, the parenchymal cells, are biochemically and structurally heterogeneous. The cells in the oxygen-rich areas of the portal triad appear more dependent on oxidative metabolism, whereas those around the central vein (pericentral, perivenous, or centrolobular areas) are more dependent upon an anaerobic mechanism. Throughout this volume the latter three terms are used synonymously by various authors to indicate the five to eight layers of cells radiating from the central vein. Structural and metabolic heterogeneity of hepatic parenchymal cells has been demonstrated by a variety of approaches, including histochemical, ultra structural, and ultramicrobiochemical studies. This microheterogeneity is linked to the physiological functions of the liver and its response to injurious substances.

Written and edited by an international team of renowned authorities, MacSween's Pathology of the Liver, 8th Edition, remains the field's definitive reference on liver pathology. This must-have text is ideal for surgical pathologists in practice and in training who examine liver specimens on a day-to-day basis. It provides invaluable assistance in recognizing the huge variety of appearances of the liver that result from infections, tumors, and tumor-like lesions, as well as organ damage caused by drugs and toxins. With expert, comprehensive coverage of all malignant and benign hepatobiliary disorders, MacSween's is a convenient, one-stop resource for use in the reporting room as well as in personal study. - Shares the knowledge and experience of a "who's who" list of experts in the field of hepatobiliary pathology, led by editors Alastair D. Burt, Linda D. Ferrell, and Stefan G. Hübscher. - Features more than 1,000 high-quality, full color illustrations, providing a complete visual guide to each tumor or tumor-like lesion. - Discusses advances in molecular diagnostic testing, its capabilities, and its limitations, including targeted/personalized medicine. - Incorporates the latest TNM staging and WHO classification systems, as well as new diagnostic biomarkers and their utility in differential diagnosis, newly described variants, and new histologic entities. - Includes relevant data from ancillary techniques (immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics), giving you the necessary tools required to master the latest breakthroughs in diagnostic technology. - Provides you with all of the necessary diagnostic tools to make a complete and accurate pathologic report, including clinicopathologic background throughout. - Directs you to the most recent and authoritative sources for further reading with a comprehensive reference list that highlights key articles and up-to-date citations. - An eBook version is included with purchase. The eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures and references, with the ability to search, customize your content, make notes and highlights, and have content read aloud.

In the mid-1980s the European Journal of Biochemistry set out to publish review articles. The enterprise proved successful resulting in high-level reviews written by well-known scientists appearing in the Journal. The reviews represent emerging and rapidly growing fields of research in fundamental as well as applied areas of biochemistry, such as medicine, biotechnology, agriculture and nutrition. Novel methodological andtechnological approaches which stimulate biochemical research are also included. The authors of the reviews are explicitly asked to be critical, selective, evaluative and interdisciplinarily oriented. The reviews should encourage young scientists toward independent and creative thinking, and inform active investigators about the state of the art in a given field.

Comprehensive Human Physiology is a significantly important publication on physiology, presenting state-of-the-art knowledge about both the molecular mechanisms and the integrative regulation of body functions. This is the first time that such a broad range of perspectives on physiology have been combined to provide a unified overview of the field. This groundbreaking two-volume set reveals human physiology to be a highly dynamic science rooted in the ever-continuing process of learning more about life. Each chapter contains a wealth of original data, clear illustrations, and extensive references, making this a valuable and easy-to-use reference. This is the quintessential reference work in the fields of physiology and pathophysiology, essential reading for researchers, lecturers and advanced students.