The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located just beneath the liver. Its primary function is to store and concentrate bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver

. Bile is a yellowish-brown liquid composed mainly of water, bile salts, cholesterol, and bile pigments such as bilirubin. The liver produces about 800 to 1,000 milliliters of bile daily, which flows into the gallbladder between meals where it is concentrated by removing water and electrolytes

. When you eat fatty foods, the gallbladder contracts in response to a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) released by the small intestine. This contraction releases the concentrated bile into the common bile duct and then into the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine)

. Bile plays a crucial role in digestion by emulsifying fats-breaking large fat globules into smaller droplets-which makes it easier for digestive enzymes to break down fats and for the intestines to absorb them. Additionally, bile helps eliminate waste products like bilirubin from the body

. In summary, the gallbladder's main role is to store, concentrate, and release bile to aid in the digestion and absorption of dietary fats