The human liver can regenerate to its full original mass even after up to 70% of it has been surgically removed, with most regrowth within months and full recovery up to a year.
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What we found
Can your liver really regrow itself? Yes, even after up to 70% of it is removed.
Transcript
Your liver can grow itself back — almost like something out of science fiction. Surgeons can remove up to 70% of a human liver in a single operation, and the remaining tissue will regenerate to its full original size. Not scar tissue — actual, functioning liver cells called hepatocytes divide rapidly to rebuild what was lost. Most of the regrowth happens within a few months, with full recovery taking up to a year. This is why living donors can give a large portion of their liver to a patient in need, and both people end up with a complete, working liver. No other solid organ in the human body does this. The ancient Greek myth of Prometheus — chained to a rock, his liver eaten by an eagle each day, only to regrow overnight — turns out to be surprisingly good biology. Follow for a fact every day.
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