Liver cells. Light micrograph of a section through a human liver. The liver cells are pink with purple nuclei. A duct canal and its surrounding tissue can be seen at lower left. The liver has many functions, including destroying old red blood cells, producing bile for the digestion of fat in the digestive system, breaking down harmful waste products in the blood, and converting some of the blood chemicals into stored food (glycogen) and proteins. Blood arrives by the hepatic artery and the portal vein, and is removed to the heart by the inferior vena cava. The liver is among the largest organs of the body. Periodic acid-schiff (PAS) stain. Magnification: x570 when printed 10 centimetres wide.