The Liver as an Excretory Organ

The hepatocyte secretes biliary fluid into the bile canaliculi (dark green), tubular intercellular clefts that are sealed off the blood spaces by tight junctions. Secretory activity in the hepatocytes results in movement of fluid toward the canalicular space (A). 

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Because of the similar behavior of injected alkaline phosphatase and albumin, it becomes unnecessary to consider the liver as an excretory organ for serum alkaline phosphatase to any greater extent than it is required to excrete albumin, which has never been considered a significant process. 

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