Gall Bladder

Question 1

What is the site of concentrated bile

Answer 1

The Gall Bladder

Question 2

What are features of the gall bladder

Answer 2

• Muscular walled sac
• pear-shaped
• under surface of right lobe of liver

Question 3

What is the gall bladder’s epithelium adapted for?

Answer 3

Epithelium adapted for salt and water absorption

Question 4

What does the highly folded epithelia have in the gall bladder?

Answer 4

Highly folded epithelia has microvilli

Question 5

What does Na+/K+ ATPase and the osmotic gradient created by this do

Answer 5

Na+/K+ ATPase pumps out Na+ and Cl- and the osmotic gradient draws water into the cells

Question 6

By which passages does concentrated bile exit the gall bladder to the duodenum

Answer 6

concentrated bile exits via the cystic duct, then into the common bile duct and then into the duodenum

Question 7

Describe the process of the excretion of bilirubin

Answer 7

1. Haem is broken down to form [Fe3+ and transferrin] and biliverdin
2. biliverdin is converted bilirubin
3. bilirubin is transported to liver via plasma and attached to albumin
4. The bilirubin albumin complex is made soluble in hepatocytes
5. This forms a constituent of bile which is secreted into the intestine where the action of bacteria proteases converts this to urobilinogen and stercobilin
6. Urobilinogen is taken up in portal circulation (the portal vein) to be excreted in the urine and stercobilin stays in the large intestine to be excreted as faeces