gallbladder
Sign in to saveIn vertebrates, the gallbladder, also known as the cholecyst, is a small hollow organ where bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine. In humans, the pear-shaped gallbladder lies beneath the liver, although the structure and position of the gallbladder can vary significantly among animal species. It receives bile, produced by the liver, via the common hepatic duct, and stores it. The bile is then released via the common bile duct into the duodenum, where the bile helps in the digestion of fats.
AI overview
Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ tucked beneath your liver that stores and concentrates bile, a digestive fluid made by your liver. When you eat, your gallbladder releases this bile into your small intestine to help break down fats.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Anatomy.Name
- Gallbladder
- Anatomy.Latin
- vesica biliaris, vesica fellea
- Anatomy.Image
- Gallbladder (organ).png
- Anatomy.Caption
- Diagram of human gallbladder
- Anatomy.Image2
- 2425 Gallbladder.jpg
- Anatomy.Caption2
- The gallbladder sits beneath the liver
- Anatomy.Precursor
- Foregut
- Anatomy.System
- Digestive system
- Anatomy.Artery
- Cystic artery
- Anatomy.Vein
- Cystic vein
- Anatomy.Nerve
- Celiac ganglia, vagus nerve
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
18 sectionsContents
- Structure
- Microanatomy
- Variation
- Development
- Function
- Clinical significance
- Gallstones
- Inflammation
- Gallbladder removal
- Complications
- Cancer
- Tests
- Other animals
- History
- Society and culture
- See also
- References
- External links
In vertebrates, the gallbladder, also known as the cholecyst, is a small hollow organ where bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine. In humans, the pear-shaped gallbladder lies beneath the liver, although the structure and position of the gallbladder can vary significantly among animal species. It receives bile, produced by the liver, via the common hepatic duct, and stores it. The bile is then released via the common bile duct into the duodenum, where the bile helps in the digestion of fats.
The gallbladder can be affected by gallstones, formed by material that cannot be dissolved – usually cholesterol or bilirubin, a product of hemoglobin breakdown. These may cause significant pain, particularly in the upper-right corner of the abdomen, and are often treated with removal of the gallbladder (called a cholecystectomy). Inflammation of the gallbladder (called cholecystitis) has a wide range of causes, including the result of gallstone impaction, infection, and autoimmune disease.