The liver and the gallbladder are located near the stomach. The gallbladder is a small muscular pear-shaped organ situated directly under the liver, which is located under the right side of the rib-cage. It touches up against the under surface of the liver. There is a duct from the liver to the small intestine which is joined by a duct from and to the gallbladder. Through this cystic duct, bile moves in both directions to join with a duct from the panaceas on its way to the small intestine. Its main function is to collect and concentrate the bile that has been produced in the liver. It works when your body senses fat in your diet as it contracts to push bile through a duct into the small intestine where it breaks down the fat. For an excellent description of the gall bladder and its function with a picture of the location see this site. www.gallbladderattack.com/gallbladder.shtml The liver is the largest organ inside the body, in an adult it can be about the size of a football and is located behind the ribs in the upper right-hand portion of the abdomen. In a triangular shape, it is a dark reddish-brown colour and consists of two main lobes. It is a very important organ and we can only survive for one or two days if it shuts down. The liver stores, vitamins, sugar and iron to help give your body energy and controls the production and removal of cholesterol. It also clears the body of waste products and other poisonous substances as well as releases bile to help digest food. A very useful site for information regarding the liver is www.hepb.org/pdf/the_liver.pdf which gives details of where the liver is located.
