The liver plays the major role in producing proteins that are secreted into the blood, including major plasma proteins, factors in hemostasis and fibrinolysis, carrier proteins, hormones, prohormones and apolipoprotein:

Major plasma proteins

All

plasma proteins Blood-proteins, also termed plasma proteins, are proteins present in blood plasma. They serve many different functions, including transport of lipids, hormones, vitamins and minerals in activity and functioning of the immune system. Other blood pr ...

except Gamma-globulins are synthesised in the liver. * Human serum albumin, osmolyte and carrier protein *

α-fetoprotein Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, α-fetoprotein; also sometimes called alpha-1-fetoprotein, alpha-fetoglobulin, or alpha fetal protein) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''AFP'' gene. The ''AFP'' gene is located on the ''q'' arm of chromosome 4 ...

, the fetal counterpart of serum albumin *Soluble plasma fibronectin, forming a blood clot that stops bleeding * C-reactive protein, opsonin on microbes,Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Immunology. Paperback: 384 pages. Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; (July 1, 2007). Language: English. . Page 182

acute phase protein Acute-phase proteins (APPs) are a class of proteins whose concentrations in blood plasma either increase (positive acute-phase proteins) or decrease (negative acute-phase proteins) in response to inflammation. This response is called the ''acute-p ...

*Various other globulins

Factors in hemostasis and fibrinolysis

*Stimulators of coagulation: **All factors in the coagulation cascade. **While the endothelium does produce some factor VIII, the majority of factor VIII is produced in the liver.Robbins Basic Pathology 9th Edition, Chapter 11 *Inhibitors of coagulation: Inactivate an enormous variety of proteinases ** α2-macroglobulin **

α1-antitrypsin Alpha-1 antitrypsin or α1-antitrypsin (A1AT, α1AT, A1A, or AAT) is a protein belonging to the serpin superfamily. It is encoded in humans by the ''SERPINA1'' gene. A protease inhibitor, it is also known as alpha1–proteinase inhibitor (A1PI) ...

Antithrombin III Antithrombin (AT) is a small glycoprotein that inactivates several enzymes of the coagulation system. It is a 432-amino-acid protein produced by the liver. It contains three disulfide bonds and a total of four possible glycosylation sites. α-Ant ...

** Protein S ** Protein C *Fibrinolysis: Breakdown of

fibrin Fibrin (also called Factor Ia) is a fibrous, non-globular protein involved in the clotting of blood. It is formed by the action of the protease thrombin on fibrinogen, which causes it to polymerize. The polymerized fibrin, together with platele ...

clots ** Plasminogen *Inhibitors of fibrinolysis **

α2-antiplasmin Alpha 2-antiplasmin (or α2-antiplasmin or plasmin inhibitor) is a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) responsible for inactivating plasmin. Plasmin is an important enzyme that participates in fibrinolysis and degradation of various other protein ...

*Complement components C1-9, complement component 3 (C3)

Carrier proteins

* Albumin, carries

thyroid hormone File:Thyroid_system.svg, upright=1.5, The thyroid system of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 rect 376 268 820 433 Thyroid-stimulating hormone rect 411 200 849 266 Thyrotropin-releasing hormone rect 297 168 502 200 Hypothalamus rect 66 216 386 25 ...

s and other hormones, particularly fat soluble ones, fatty acids to the liver, unconjugated

bilirubin Bilirubin (BR) (Latin for "red bile") is a red-orange compound that occurs in the normal catabolic pathway that breaks down heme in vertebrates. This catabolism is a necessary process in the body's clearance of waste products that arise from the ...

, many

drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...

and Ca²⁺ * Ceruloplasmin, carries copper * Transcortin, carries

cortisol Cortisol is a steroid hormone, in the glucocorticoid class of hormones. When used as a medication, it is known as hydrocortisone. It is produced in many animals, mainly by the ''zona fasciculata'' of the adrenal cortex in the adrenal gland ...

aldosterone Aldosterone is the main mineralocorticoid steroid hormone produced by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex in the adrenal gland. It is essential for sodium conservation in the kidney, salivary glands, sweat glands, and colon. It plays a c ...

and

progesterone Progesterone (P4) is an endogenous steroid and progestogen sex hormone involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embryogenesis of humans and other species. It belongs to a group of steroid hormones called the progestogens and is the m ...

* Haptoglobin, carries free hemoglobin released from erythrocytes * Hemopexin, carries free heme released from hemoglobin * IGF binding protein, carries insulin-like growth factor 1 * Major urinary proteins, carries pheromones in rodents *

Retinol binding protein Retinol-binding proteins (RBP) are a family of proteins with diverse functions. They are carrier proteins that bind retinol. Assessment of retinol-binding protein is used to determine visceral protein mass in health-related nutritional studies. R ...

, carries retinol * Sex hormone-binding globulin, carries sex hormones, specifically testosterone and estradiol * Thyroxine-binding globulin, carries the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3’-triiodothyronine (T3) * Transthyretin, carries the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) * Transferrin, carries iron ions in the ferric form (Fe³⁺) * Vitamin D-binding protein, carries vitamin D

Hormones

* FGF21, a protein hormone that induces

mitochondria A mitochondrion (; ) is an organelle found in the Cell (biology), cells of most Eukaryotes, such as animals, plants and Fungus, fungi. Mitochondria have a double lipid bilayer, membrane structure and use aerobic respiration to generate adenosi ...

l oxidation of fatty acids, hepatic

gluconeogenesis Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a metabolic pathway that results in the generation of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate carbon substrates. It is a ubiquitous process, present in plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and other microorganisms. In vertebrat ...

, and ketogenesis in response to fasting. * Hepcidin, a peptide hormone that regulates iron homeostasis. * Insulin-like growth factor 1, a

polypeptide Peptides (, ) are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Long chains of amino acids are called proteins. Chains of fewer than twenty amino acids are called oligopeptides, and include dipeptides, tripeptides, and tetrapeptides. A p ...

protein hormone which plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults *

Thrombopoietin Thrombopoietin (THPO) also known as megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''THPO'' gene. Thrombopoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced by the liver and kidney which regulates the pro ...

, a

glycoprotein Glycoproteins are proteins which contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to amino acid side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glycos ...

hormone that regulates the production of platelets by the

bone marrow Bone marrow is a semi-solid tissue found within the spongy (also known as cancellous) portions of bones. In birds and mammals, bone marrow is the primary site of new blood cell production (or haematopoiesis). It is composed of hematopoietic ce ...

Prohormones

* Angiotensinogen, when converted to angiotensin causes vasoconstriction and release of aldosterone, in effect increasing blood pressure

Apolipoproteins

*Almost all apolipoprotein, except apo B48 (produced by intestine)

References

General reference for the list of included substances (but not their functions): *Table 45-4 in: Other: {{DEFAULTSORT:Proteins Produced And Secreted By The Liver Liver anatomy