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Gallbladder: Location, Structure & Function
Gallbladder: Location, Structure & Function
Includes labeled diagrams, downloadable notes, anatomy quizzes, and interactive learning tools
The gallbladder is a pear-shaped muscular sac that serves as a reservoir for bile produced by the liver. It is located in a shallow fossa on the inferior surface of the right lobe of the liver and is typically 8-10 cm long. Its main functions are to store, concentrate, and release bile into the duodenum when needed for digestion.
The gallbladder is divided into three regions: the fundus, body, and neck.
The fundus is the widest portion and projects beyond the anterior border of the liver when the gallbladder is distended. It tapers medially into the body, which then narrows to form the neck. The neck angles slightly superiorly as it approaches the hepatic duct and continues as the cystic duct.
The wall of the gallbladder consists of a mucosa lined by simple columnar epithelium arranged in folds called rugae, giving the inner surface a reticular appearance. Unlike much of the digestive tract, the gallbladder does not contain a submucosa.
Beneath the mucosa is a relatively thin layer of smooth muscle. When these muscle fibers contract, bile is expelled from the gallbladder through the cystic duct and into the biliary tract.
The outer surface is covered by visceral peritoneum reflected from the liver, while the upper surface is attached to the liver by connective tissue. The mucosa absorbs water and ions from stored bile, concentrating it by as much as tenfold.
Cystic Duct
The cystic duct is the continuation of the neck of the gallbladder and connects the gallbladder to the hepatic duct. It is approximately 2-4cm long and runs downward and to the left before joining the hepatic duct to form the common bile duct.
The mucous membrane of the cystic duct contains a series of oblique folds known as the spiral valve, or valve of Heister, which give the duct a spiral appearance.
Common Bile Duct
The common bile duct is formed by the union of the cystic duct and the hepatic duct. It carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the duodenum. The duct descends within the hepatoduodenal ligament, passes behind the superior portion of the duodenum, and continues along the posterior aspect of the head of the pancreas. Near its termination, it joins the main pancreatic duct.
Together, these ducts form a dilated chamber called the hepatopancreatic ampulla (ampulla of Vater), which opens into the descending portion of the duodenum at the major duodenal papilla. Through this pathway, bile enters the small intestine and assists in the digestion and absorption of fats.
Need a recap? Take a look at the gallbladder anatomy notes here.
Need a recap? Take a look at the gallbladder anatomy notes here.
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References
References
Gray, H. (1918). Anatomy of the human body (W. H. Lewis, Ed.; 20th ed.). Lea & Febiger.
Sobotta, J. (1906). Atlas and text-book of human anatomy (J. P. McMurrich, Ed.; W. H. Thomas, Trans.). Vol. 2. W.B. Saunders Company.
J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix. (2013, April 25). Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/23-6-accessory-organs-in-digestion-the-liver-pancreas-and-gallbladder.
Based on OpenStax, Anatomy and Physiology (2013), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction.
Content paraphrased; adaptations were made.
Image Credis
Image Credis
Images used in this guide and games are by Dr. Johannes Sobotta. They are in the public domain; modifications have been made to the originals.
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