Why can you have kidney dialysis but not liver dialysis?
In: Biology
The kidney is basically a filter- it screens out wastes and balances the components of the blood continuously. That is pretty easy to do with an external machine- just run the blood through a filter and add electrolytes, water, etc as needed to maintain specific blood characteristics.
The liver is more like a reactor. Inside it are innumerable enzymes and specialized cells that serve to perform complex biochemical reactions that range from digestion of nutrients to metabolism of chemical compounds like pharmaceuticals.
It also plays a critical role in other bodily systems- it’s a strategic reserve for critical nutrients, produces key components of the blood and immune system, and even regulates blood pressure.
Humans haven’t managed to build a machine that can replicate all those functions, at least not one that can allow a person to live a relatively normal life indefinitely as they could with kidney dialysis. It’s simply too complex of an organ.
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