The Liver in Genetic Metabolic Disease

Genetically determined metabolic liver disease results from an inherited defect that causes malfunction of an enzyme, structural protein, or organelle that is critical for normal liver function. Metabolic diseases may affect the liver alone or in concert with manifestations in other organs. The category genetic metabolic liver disease may be extended to include cellular derangements that are transient and precipitated by exogenous factors such as drugs or pregnancy that may stress existing suboptimal or partly compromised genetic pathways.