Table of contents

1. Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology5h 43m
2. Cell Chemistry & Cell Components12h 36m
3. Energy & Cell Processes10h 6m
4. Tissues & Histology10h 3m
5. Integumentary System2h 20m
6. Bones & Skeletal Tissue2h 16m
7. The Skeletal System2h 35m
8. Joints2h 17m
9. Muscle Tissue2h 33m
10. Muscles1h 11m
11. Nervous Tissue and Nervous System1h 35m
12. The Central Nervous System1h 6m
- Introduction to the Central Nervous System
  18m
- The Cerebrum
  48m
13. The Peripheral Nervous System1h 26m
14. The Autonomic Nervous System1h 38m
15. The Special Senses2h 41m
16. The Endocrine System2h 48m
17. The Blood3h 22m
18. The Heart3h 42m
19. The Blood Vessels3h 35m
20. The Lymphatic System3h 16m
21. The Immune System14h 37m
22. The Respiratory System3h 20m
23. The Digestive System2h 5m
24. Metabolism and Nutrition4h 0m
25. The Urinary System2h 39m
26. Fluid and Electrolyte Balance, Acid Base Balance37m
27. The Reproductive System2h 5m
28. Human Development1h 21m
29. Heredity3h 32m

23. The Digestive System

The Gallbladder

Anatomy & Physiology

23. The Digestive System

The Gallbladder

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2:32 minutes

Problem 25

Textbook Question

Explain why fatty stools result from the absence of bile or pancreatic juice.

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the role of bile in digestion: Bile, produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, contains bile salts that emulsify fats. This process breaks large fat globules into smaller droplets, increasing the surface area for enzymes to act on.

Learn the role of pancreatic juice: Pancreatic juice contains lipase, an enzyme responsible for breaking down triglycerides (fats) into glycerol and free fatty acids, which can be absorbed by the intestines.

Recognize the consequence of bile absence: Without bile, fats cannot be emulsified effectively, leading to larger fat globules that are difficult for lipase to break down. This results in undigested fats passing through the digestive system.

Understand the impact of missing pancreatic juice: Without pancreatic lipase, even emulsified fats cannot be broken down into absorbable molecules, further contributing to fat malabsorption.

Connect fat malabsorption to fatty stools: The undigested fats remain in the intestines and are excreted in the feces, leading to fatty stools (steatorrhea), which are often greasy, foul-smelling, and may float due to the high fat content.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Bile Function

Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It plays a crucial role in the emulsification of fats, breaking them down into smaller droplets that can be more easily digested by enzymes. Without bile, fats remain undigested, leading to the formation of fatty stools.

Pancreatic Juice Role

Pancreatic juice contains digestive enzymes, including lipase, which is essential for the breakdown of dietary fats into fatty acids and glycerol. If pancreatic juice is absent, the digestion of fats is severely impaired, resulting in the malabsorption of fats and the presence of fatty stools.

Malabsorption Syndrome

Malabsorption syndrome refers to a condition where the body cannot absorb nutrients effectively from the digestive tract. This can occur due to a lack of bile or pancreatic enzymes, leading to the excretion of undigested fats in the stool, which appears greasy or fatty.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

The gallbladder

a. Produces bile

b. Is attached to the pancreas

c. Stores and concentrates bile

d. Produces secretin

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Textbook Question

Bile release from the gallbladder into the duodenum occurs only under the stimulation of

(a) Cholecystokinin

(b) Secretin

(d) Enteropeptidase

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Multiple Choice

__________ circulation collects nutrient-rich blood from the GI tract and delivers it to the liver.

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Textbook Question

A branch of the hepatic portal vein, hepatic artery proper, and branch of the bile duct form\(a) A liver lobule

(b) The sinusoids

(d) The hepatic duct

(e) The pancreatic duct

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Multiple Choice

Bile is stored and concentrated in the __________.

After a heavy meal rich with fried foods, Debby Collins, an overweight 45-year-old woman, was rushed to the emergency room with severe spasmodic pains in her epigastric region that radiated to the right side of her rib cage. She indicated that the attack came on suddenly, and her abdomen was found to be tender to the touch and somewhat rigid. What do you think is this patient's problem and why is her pain discontinuous (colicky)? What are the treatment options and what might happen if the problem is not resolved?

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Textbook Question

Match the letter of the digestive organ shown in the figure with its function.

___ produces bile

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the liver?

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