iPedia Free Information Center

Information about Biliary Tree

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter.
Please help [ improve the introduction] to meet Wikipedia's layout standards. You can discuss the issue on the talk page.


Enlarge picture
Digestive system diagram showing the common bile duct
The biliary tree is the common anatomic term for the path by which bile is secreted by the liver on its way to the duodenum, or small intestine, of most members of the mammal family. It is referred to as a tree because it begins with many small branches which end in the common bile duct, sometimes referred to as the trunk of the biliary tree.

Path

The path is as follows: Bile canaliculi >> canals of Hering >> bile ductules (in portal tracts) >> intrahepatic bile ducts >> left and right hepatic ducts >> merge to form >> common hepatic duct >> exits liver and joins >> cystic duct (from gall bladder) >> forming >> common bile duct >> joins with >> pancreatic duct >> forming >> ampulla of Vater >> enters duodenum

External links

Bile (or gall) is a bitter, yellow or green alkaline fluid secreted by hepatocytes from the liver of most vertebrates. In many species, it is stored in the gallbladder between meals and upon eating is discharged into the duodenum
..... Click the link for more information.
In anatomy of the digestive system, the duodenum is a hollow jointed tube about 25-30 cm long connecting the stomach to the jejunum. It is the first and shortest part of the small intestine and it is where most chemical digestion takes place.
..... Click the link for more information.
Bile canaliculus (plural:bile canaliculi; also called bile capillaries) is a thin tube that collects bile secreted by hepatocytes. The bile canaliculi merge and form bile ductules, which eventually become common hepatic duct.
..... Click the link for more information.
The common hepatic duct is the duct formed by the convergence of the right hepatic duct (which drains bile from the right functional lobe of the liver) and the left hepatic duct (which drains bile from the left functional lobe of the liver).
..... Click the link for more information.
The cystic duct is the short duct that joins the gall bladder to the common bile duct. It usually lies next to the cystic artery. It is of variable length. It contains a 'spiral valve', which does not provide much resistance to the flow of bile.
..... Click the link for more information.
The gallbladder (or cholecyst, sometimes gall bladder) is a pear-shaped organ that stores about 50 ml of bile (or "gall") until the body needs it for digestion.
..... Click the link for more information.
Bile, which is synthesized in the liver, is carried to the right and left hepatic ducts, which converge to form the common hepatic duct. There, it can either enter the superior end of the common bile duct and either empties into the third (and retroperitoneal) portion of the duodenum, or
..... Click the link for more information.
The pancreatic duct, or duct of Wirsung, is a duct joining the pancreas to the common bile duct to supply pancreatic juices which aid in digestion provided by the "exocrine pancreas".
..... Click the link for more information.
The ampulla of Vater, also known as the hepatopancreatic ampulla, is formed by the union of the pancreatic duct and the common bile duct. The ampulla is specifically located at the major duodenal papilla.
..... Click the link for more information.
In anatomy of the digestive system, the duodenum is a hollow jointed tube about 25-30 cm long connecting the stomach to the jejunum. It is the first and shortest part of the small intestine and it is where most chemical digestion takes place.
..... Click the link for more information.


This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus


page counter