Bile duct

Bile duct
Digestive system diagram showing the bile duct
ERCP image showing the biliary tree and the main pancreatic duct.
Details
Identifiers
Latinductus biliaris
MeSHD001652
TA98A05.8.02.013
A05.8.01.062
A05.8.01.065
TA23103
FMA9706
Anatomical terminology

A bile duct is any of a number of long tube-like structures that carry bile, and is present in most vertebrates. The bile duct is separated into three main parts: the fundus (superior), the body (middle), and the neck (inferior).

Bile is required for the digestion of food and is secreted by the liver into passages that carry bile toward the hepatic duct. It joins the cystic duct (carrying bile to and from the gallbladder) to form the common bile duct which then opens into the intestine.