bile

bile A yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile passes through the common bile duct into the duodenum, where it helps digest fat. The principal components of bile are cholesterol, bile salts, and the pigment bilirubin. Cholesterol is normally kept in liquid form by the dissolving action of the bile salts. An increased amount of cholesterol in the bile overwhelms the dissolving capacity of the bile salts and leads to the formation of cholesterol gallstones. Similarly, a deficiency of bile salts promotes cholesterol gallstone formation. See also gallstone.