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biology

what is bile?

The liver plays an active role in the process of digestion through the production of bile. Bile is a mixture of water, bile salts, cholesterol, and the pigment bilirubin. Hepatocytes in the liver produce bile, which then passes through the bile ducts to be stored in the gallbladder.

Bile contains bile acids, which are critical for digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine. Many waste products, including bilirubin, are eliminated from the body by secretion into bileand elimination in feces.

A biliary obstruction is a blockage of the bile ducts. The bile ductscarry bile from the liver and gallbladder through the pancreas to the small intestine (the duodenum). Bile is a dark-green or yellowish-brown fluid secreted by the liver to digest fats.