Gallbladder

Structure

The gallbladder is about 7 to 10 centimeters long and holds roughly 30 to 50 milliliters of bile. It connects to the biliary tree through the cystic duct, which joins the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct.

Function

The gallbladder concentrates bile by absorbing water and electrolytes, increasing its potency up to tenfold. When fatty food reaches the duodenum, the hormone cholecystokinin signals the gallbladder to contract.

Release

Bile flows through the common bile duct and the sphincter of Oddi into the duodenum, where bile salts emulsify dietary fats into smaller droplets that pancreatic enzymes can process.