neutralization of various foreign substances (xenobiotics), in particular, allergens, poisons and toxins, by transforming them into harmless, less toxic or easier to remove compounds from the body; detoxification of the liver of the fetus is negligible, since it is performed by the placenta;
neutralization and removal from the body of excess hormones, mediators, vitamins, as well as toxic intermediate and end products of metabolism, for example, ammonia, phenol, ethanol, acetone and ketonic acids;
providing the body's energy needs with glucose and converting various energy sources (free fatty acids, amino acids, glycerol, lactic acid, etc.) into glucose (the so-called gluconeogenesis);
replenishment and storage of rapidly mobilized energy reserves in the form of glycogen and regulation of carbohydrate metabolism;
replenishment and storage of some vitamins depot (especially rich in liver stocks of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, water-soluble vitamin B12), as well as depot cations of a number of trace elements - metals, in particular, iron, copper and cobalt cations. Also, the liver is directly involved in the metabolism of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, PP and folic acid;
participation in blood formation processes (only in the fetus), in particular, the synthesis of many plasma proteins - albumin, alpha and beta globulins, transport proteins for various hormones and vitamins, blood coagulation and anticoagulant systems, and many others; the liver is one of the important organs of hemopoiesis in prenatal development;
synthesis of cholesterol and its esters, lipids and phospholipids, lipoproteins and regulation of lipid metabolism;
synthesis of bile acids and bilirubin, production and secretion of bile;
it also serves as a depot for a fairly significant amount of blood, which can be thrown into the general bloodstream in case of blood loss or shock due to narrowing of the vessels supplying the liver;
hormone synthesis (for example, insulin-like growth factors).