Name all the structures that bile passes through (in order) from its creation to where it actually functions.
To name all the structures that bile passes through from its creation to where it actually functions, we need to understand the pathway of bile within the human body. Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When needed, the gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine to aid in the digestion and absorption of fats. Here are the structures that bile passes through:
1. Liver: Bile is produced in the liver, where it is synthesized by hepatic cells. The liver continuously produces bile and secretes it into small bile ducts within the liver.
2. Bile Ducts: The small bile ducts within the liver merge to form larger bile ducts known as the left and right hepatic ducts. These ducts carry bile out of the liver.
3. Common Hepatic Duct: The left and right hepatic ducts join to form the common hepatic duct. This duct carries bile away from the liver.
4. Cystic Duct: The common hepatic duct connects with the cystic duct, which leads to the gallbladder. The cystic duct carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder for storage.
5. Gallbladder: The gallbladder serves as a reservoir for bile storage. It concentrates and stores bile until it is needed for digestion.
6. Common Bile Duct: When digestion occurs, the gallbladder contracts, and bile is released into the common bile duct. The common bile duct is formed by the union of the cystic duct and the common hepatic duct.
7. Ampulla of Vater: The common bile duct joins with the pancreatic duct to form a tiny, muscular structure called the ampulla of Vater.
8. Small Intestine: The ampulla of Vater opens into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. This is where bile is finally delivered and functions to emulsify fats, aid in their absorption, and participate in the digestion process.
So, to recap, bile passes through the liver, common hepatic duct, cystic duct, gallbladder, common bile duct, ampulla of Vater, and ultimately reaches the small intestine, where it functions in the digestion of fats.