Question

A storage organ for bile (A) Liver (B) Small intestine (C) Gall bladder (D) Pancreatic duct (E) Large intestine

Short answer

The organ responsible for storing bile is the Gall bladder. So, the answer is (C) Gall bladder.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the role of bile

Firstly, understand that bile is a digestive fluid that is produced by the liver. Bile has the important role of aiding in the digestion and absorption of fats in the small intestine.

Recognise the organ responsible for bile storage

After recognizing the role of bile, it's crucial to identify the organ responsible for its storage. While the liver produces bile, it doesn't store it. Bile is stored in the Gall bladder.

Key concepts

Bile

Bile is an essential digestive fluid that plays a critical role in our body's ability to process and absorb fats. It is a complex mixture of water, bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, bilirubin, and electrolytes. Bile aids in the emulsification of fats, breaking them down into smaller droplets, which makes it easier for enzymes in the small intestine to further digest them. This process begins as food enters the small intestine, where bile mixes with the fatty contents.

• Emulsification: Bile acids are responsible for breaking down large fat globules.
• Absorption: Once fats are broken down, they can be absorbed by the intestinal walls.
• Lipid Digestion: Bile speeds up the process of digesting lipids by making them more accessible to enzymes.

Understanding bile's composition and its role in digestion helps us better appreciate the organs involved in its production and storage.

Liver

The liver is a vital organ that performs countless essential functions in the body, including the production of bile. Located in the upper right area of the abdomen, the liver performs metabolic processes crucial for sustaining life. Its ability to produce bile is one of its many responsibilities. Although the liver produces bile constantly, it releases bile into the small intestine or stores it in the gall bladder for later use.
Key facts about the liver's role in bile production include:

• Bile Production: The liver is the sole producer of bile, generating about 1 liter daily.
• Detoxification: Aside from bile production, the liver also removes toxins from the blood.
• Storage of Nutrients: The liver stores vitamins and minerals for later use by the body.

Though it does not store bile, the liver's role in bile production is fundamental to digestion.

Gall Bladder

The gall bladder serves as the storage facility for bile. While the liver is responsible for its production, the gall bladder holds bile until the body requires it for digestion. This small, pear-shaped organ sits just beneath the liver. When you eat fatty food, a signal is sent to the gall bladder, which then contracts and releases bile into the small intestine through the bile ducts.
Benefits of the gall bladder include:

• Bile Storage: The gall bladder stores excess bile from the liver, releasing it when it's needed the most.
• Ejection of Bile: When fats enter the small intestine, the gall bladder ejects bile to aid digestion.
• Concentration of Bile: While stored in the gall bladder, bile becomes more concentrated, making it more potent for digestion.

This process ensures that bile is available precisely when it's needed to break down fats.

Small Intestine

The small intestine is a crucial component of the digestive system, responsible for the eventual absorption of nutrients. It is here that the bile performs its primary function of fat digestion. The small intestine is a long, winding tube where most digestion and nutrient absorption occurs. Bile, released into the small intestine, assists in breaking down fats into more easily absorbed substances.
Key points regarding the small intestine include:

• Digestive Action: Bile emulsifies fats in the small intestine, which increases the surface area for enzymes to act.
• Nutrient Absorption: The small intestine absorbs the digested nutrients, passing them into the bloodstream.
• Surface Area Maximization: The inner walls of the small intestine have folds and microvilli, maximizing nutrient absorption.

The small intestine's actions ensure that the body efficiently obtains nutrients from digested food.