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Organs » Gall bladder
 

Gall bladder

Descriptions of Gall bladder

Gall bladder: The pear-shaped organ found below the liver. Bile is concentrated and stored in the gallbladder.
Source: National Institute of Health

Gall bladder: a muscular sac attached to the liver that secretes bile and stores it until needed for digestion
Source: WordNet 2.1

Gall bladder : storage reservoir for bile secretion; allows the delivery of bile acids at a high concentration and in a controlled manner, via the cystic duct to the duodenum, for degradation of dietary lipid.
Source: CRISP

Article Excerpts about Gall bladder

Gallstones develop in the gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ beneath the liver on the right side of the abdomen. It's about 3 inches long and an inch wide at its thickest part. The gallbladder stores and releases bile into the intestine to aid digestion.

Bile is a fluid made by the liver that helps in digestion. Bile contains substances called bile salts that act like natural detergents to break down fats in the food we eat. As food passes from the stomach into the small intestine, the gallbladder releases bile into the bile ducts. These ducts, or tubes, run from the liver to the intestine. Bile also helps eliminate excess cholesterol from the body. The liver secretes cholesterol into the bile, which is then eliminated from the body via the digestive system. (Source: excerpt from Dieting and Gallstones: NIDDK)

The liver produces yet another digestive juice--bile. The bile is stored between meals in the gallbladder. At mealtime, it is squeezed out of the gallbladder into the bile ducts to reach the intestine and mix with the fat in our food. The bile acids dissolve the fat into the watery contents of the intestine, much like detergents that dissolve grease from a frying pan. After the fat is dissolved, it is digested by enzymes from the pancreas and the lining of the intestine. (Source: excerpt from Your Digestive System and How It Works: NIDDK)

Summary Information: Gall bladder

Gall bladder: The gallbladder is an organ that is a part of the digestive system and is located in the upper right side of the abdomen under the liver. The pear-shaped gallbladder is a hollow sac that concentrates and stores digestive bile, which is produced by the liver. Bile is stored in the gallbladder becomes stronger and better able to digest fats than it was when freshly produced in the liver.

Bile flows from the liver down the common hepatic duct into the gallbladder. When food is eaten, the gallbladder squeezes the stored bile into the cystic duct and down the common bile duct through the Ampulla of Vater into the duodenum of the small intestine.

Conditions that can directly or indirectly afflict the gall bladder include gallstones, cholangitis, cholecystitis, biliary cirrhosis and biliary duct cancer.

Closely Related Organs: Gall bladder

The following organs are closely related to the organ: Gall bladder:

Conditions Afflicting Organs: Gall bladder

The following conditions are related to the organ: Gall bladder:

Sub Parts: Gall bladder

The following list contains sub-parts of the organ: Gall bladder:

Symptoms Related to Afflictions of: Gall bladder

These symptoms are related to afflictions of the organ: Gall bladder:

Condition count: 8 ; see list below.

Organ types: Digestive system (127)

Related organs: bile duct (9), digestive (127), bile

Main condition: Gallbladder conditions

Organs: list of all organs

Diseases List for Gall bladder:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Gall bladder' or similar listed as an affected body part in our database:

B

  • Bile Duct Cancer ... gall bladder
  • Biliary disorder ... gallbladder

    C

  • Cholangitis ... gall bladder
  • Cholecystitis ... gall bladder

    G

  • Gall Bladder Cancer ... gall bladder
  • Gall bladder conditions ... gall bladder
  • Gallstones ... gall bladder

    J

  • Jaundice ... gall bladder
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