Gallbladder Research
The gallbladder is a small organ situated below the liver where it stores bile provided by the liver until needed by the digestive system. Bile consists of many substances that help digest certain foods and also to stimulate the large intestine to help move intestinal contents through the large intestine and out of the system. Many other waste products such as remains of dead red blood cells and drugs processed by the liver are excreted in bile.
When food enters the small intestine a group of nerves and hormonal signals cause the gall bladder to contract and the sphincter to open. This allows bile to flow into the small intestine and mix with food to perform the bile aids to digestion. A large proportion of the bile salts are released in the small intestine and then recycled into the liver to be re-secreted into the bile. This cycle continues up to ten or twelve times a day. From each cycle a small amount of the salts fall into the large intestine and are eliminated in the stools.
