Function of Bile (WJEC GCSE Biology)

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Function of Bile

  • Bile is an alkaline substance produced by cells in the liver
  • Before being released into the small intestine, bile is stored in the gall bladder
  • Bile travels from the liver and gall bladder to the small intestine via a small tube called the bile duct

Organs that are involved in bile production and secretion diagram

Bile production in the liver

Bile is produced in the liver and stored in the gall bladder

  • Bile has two main roles:
    1. Neutralising the hydrochloric acid from the stomach
      • The alkaline properties of bile allow for this to occur
      • This neutralisation is essential as enzymes in the small intestine have a higher (more alkaline) optimum pH than those in the stomach
    2. Breaking apart large drops of fat into smaller ones (and so increasing their surface area)
      • This is known as emulsification
  • The more alkaline conditions and larger surface area allows the lipase enzymes to chemically break down the fat (lipid) molecules into glycerol and fatty acids at a faster rate

The process of emulsification diagram

Bile and the process of emulsification

Bile breaks large fat droplets into smaller ones with a larger surface area

Examiner Tip

Emulsification is the equivalent of tearing a large piece of paper into smaller pieces of paper. This is an example of mechanical digestion, not chemical digestion – breaking something into smaller pieces does not break bonds or change the chemical structure of the molecules which make it up, which is the definition of chemical digestion.

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Emma

Author: Emma

Expertise: Biology

Prior to working at SME, Emma was a Biology teacher for 5 years. During those years she taught three different GCSE exam boards and two A-Level exam boards, gaining a wide range of teaching expertise in the subject. Emma particularly enjoys learning about ecology and conservation. Emma is passionate about making her students achieve the highest possible grades in their exams by creating amazing revision resources!