Bile (physiology)

Bile is a fluid made by the liver and released into the small intestine. Its bile salts disperse dietary fats, while its contents also provide a route for eliminating substances such as bilirubin.

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Bile acid: A cholesterol-derived acid that is secreted in bile and helps digest and absorb dietary fats. Bile acids are the active components that disperse fats and aid their absorption.
Cholesterol: A sterol used in cell membranes and as a precursor for steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. The liver converts cholesterol into bile acids, and excess cholesterol can crystallize in bile.
Cholestasis: Impaired formation or flow of bile that causes bile components to accumulate in the liver or blood. It is the broad clinical consequence when bile cannot flow normally.
Pancreatic juice: A secretion containing digestive enzymes and bicarbonate, delivered from the pancreas into the small intestine. Unlike bile, it supplies enzymes that chemically break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Enterohepatic circulation: The circulation of substances from the liver to the intestine and back to the liver through portal blood. Most bile acids return from the intestine to the liver for reuse.
Phosphatidylcholine: A major membrane phospholipid that also forms part of bile and helps keep cholesterol soluble. It works with bile salts to stabilize bile and limit cholesterol precipitation.
Gallstone: A solid deposit that forms in the gallbladder or bile ducts from bile components. Changes in bile composition can cause cholesterol or pigment stones to form.
Gastric juice: The acidic secretion of the stomach, containing hydrochloric acid, enzymes, and other substances. It acts upstream of bile and creates an acidic environment rather than emulsifying fats.
Gallbladder: A small organ beneath the liver that stores and concentrates bile before releasing it into the small intestine. It stores bile between meals and releases it when food enters the intestine.
Bilirubin metabolism: The processing of bilirubin from heme breakdown through liver conjugation and eventual excretion. This pathway explains how a waste pigment becomes water-soluble enough for biliary excretion.