Biliary system

Alternative Names

Biliary tract; Bile tract

Information

The biliary system creates, moves, stores, and releases bile into the duodenum. This helps the body digest food. It also assists in transporting waste products from the liver to the duodenum.

The biliary system includes:

The gallbladder
Bile ducts and certain cells inside the liver
Bile ducts outside the liver

Gallery

Digestive system — The esophagus, stomach, large and small intestine, aided by the liver, gallbladder and pancreas convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted.

Bile produced in the liver — The esophagus, stomach, large and small intestine, aided by the liver, gallbladder and pancreas convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted.

References

Hall JE, Hall ME. Secretory functions of the alimentary tract. In: Hall JE, Hall ME ed. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 65.

Radkani P, Hawksworth J, Fishbein T. Biliary system. In: Townsend CM, R. Beauchamp D, Evers BM, Mattox KL. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. Elsevier;2022:chap 55.

Last reviewed July 25, 2022 by Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team..

Related specialties

Gastroenterology