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Liver Sieve

A research team at the Christchurch School of Medicine is part of an international group investigating how the liver processes alcohol, tobacco, toxins, fatty foods and vitamins. Of particular interest is the behaviour of the liver's small blood vessels and the tiny holes in their lining.

These pores -- or fenestrae -- form the "liver sieve", which controls the movement of fat particles between the blood and the liver.

"We have shown that nicotine makes the fenestrae smaller, and alcohol in large quantities leads to their disappearance. In consequence, the blood becomes excessively loaded with food fats and cholesterol, and the liver becomes short of Vitamin A," says Associate Professor Robin Fraser.