a-short-review-of-histology

Accessory Glands of GI Tract:

The gall bladder is a muscular bag which stores the bile that is produced by the liver
Bile is an emulsifier of fats and functions in the duodenum
When fats are detected in the duodenum the gall bladder is stimulated to contract and deliver the stored bile, via the biliary tree, into the duodenum
The gall bladder is lined by a simple columnar epithelium sitting on a thin layer of loose connective tissue (the lamina propria)
There is no submucosa
There is a thin layer of smooth muscle with the muscle cells organised in different planes
When the muscle contracts, the lumen of the gall bladder is reduced and bile is pushed into the biliary ducts where it is directed to the duodenum
Part of the gall bladder has an adventitia which binds it to the liver
Some parts are covered with a serosa (peritoneum)
The tubes of the biliary tree are lined by a simple columnar epithelium supported by connective tissue
There is a thin muscular layer in the wall of the ducts although in some parts it is thickened to form sphincters which control the direction of flow of the bile

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Micrograph of Gall Bladder:

This low magnification micrograph shows an area of liver on the left and part of the gall bladder on the right
The lumen of the gall bladder is lined by a simple columnar epithelium
The wall of the gall bladder is muscular
The gall bladder stores bile, when bile is required the muscle wall contracts to push stored bile out
External to the muscle of the gall bladder wall, part of the gall bladder is covered with a serosa and part with an adventitia