If both liver and kidneys are cleaning the blood, what’s the difference between them?
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The liver is the main filter. It takes large complex molecules that can be harmful if built up, and it breaks them down to smaller simpler molecules. The small simple molecules can then be removed from the blood by the kidneys and expelled from the body.
One example of this is with alcohol. In response to blood alcohol levels the liver releases an enyme called alcohol dehydrogenase. This enzyme attaches to and breaks down the alcohol molecules into acetaldehyde. Then the liver further breaks it down to acetate. Acetate when acetate hits the water in our blood it separates into carbon dioxide and water. Thus the dangerous alcohol and acetaldehyde is reduced into something non toxic which we can eliminate through the urine.
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