The liver is a large organ located at the top of the abdominal cavity and divided into several lobes. It is only found in vertebrates and it has several functions: detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of bile and other chemicals needed for digestion. Bile produced by the liver is stored in the gallbladder where it is released into the duodenum of the small intestine to aid in the digestion of fats. A person can live without a gallbladder, and many animals (deer, rats, elephants) do not have the organ at all.
