Which statement best describes the storage site of bile?

Which statement best describes the storage site of bile?

• A. The cystic duct stores bile
• B. The gallbladder stores bile
• C. The duodenum stores bile
• D. The common bile duct stores bile

Answer: (B)

The storage site for bile is the gallbladder. Bile is produced by the liver and travels through the biliary ducts to be stored and concentrated in the gallbladder between meals. When fatty food enters the small intestine, the hormone cholecystokinin signals the gallbladder to contract and release bile through the cystic duct into the common bile duct and then into the duodenum to help digest fats. The other structures don’t store bile: the cystic duct is just a conduit between the gallbladder and the common bile duct, the duodenum receives bile but does not store it, and the common bile duct transports bile to the duodenum rather than storing it.

The storage site for bile is the gallbladder. Bile is produced by the liver and travels through the biliary ducts to be stored and concentrated in the gallbladder between meals. When fatty food enters the small intestine, the hormone cholecystokinin signals the gallbladder to contract and release bile through the cystic duct into the common bile duct and then into the duodenum to help digest fats. The other structures don’t store bile: the cystic duct is just a conduit between the gallbladder and the common bile duct, the duodenum receives bile but does not store it, and the common bile duct transports bile to the duodenum rather than storing it.