Where is bile stored before it is released into the small intestine?

Bile is stored in the gallbladder before it is released into the small intestine. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located beneath the liver, and it serves as a reservoir for bile, which is produced by the liver. When fatty foods enter the small intestine, the presence of these fats stimulates the secretion of hormones that signal the gallbladder to contract and release bile through the bile ducts into the small intestine.

Bile plays a crucial role in digestion, primarily by emulsifying fats, allowing them to be more easily digested and absorbed by the intestines. Understanding the function of the gallbladder emphasizes its role as a storage site rather than a site of production or further processing of bile. The liver is indeed involved in bile production, but it is not the storage site; instead, it directly secretes bile into the bile ducts. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes and bicarbonate, but it is also not involved in the storage of bile. The small intestine is where the bile acts but does not serve as a storage location.