What organ stores bile produced by the liver?

The organ that stores bile produced by the liver is the gallbladder.

This small, pear-shaped organ sits beneath the liver and receives bile through the hepatic and cystic ducts. The liver continuously makes bile, but the gallbladder acts as a temporary reservoir, concentrating the fluid by removing some water and electrolytes. In humans, it can hold roughly 50 milliliters when distended.

When fat-containing food enters the small intestine, cells in the duodenum and jejunum release the hormone cholecystokinin. This signals the gallbladder to contract and send bile through the common bile duct into the duodenum. Bile salts help emulsify fats, breaking them into smaller droplets that digestive enzymes can process more efficiently.

A common mix-up is saying that the gallbladder produces bile. It does not: the liver makes bile, while the gallbladder stores and concentrates it. Gallstones can form when substances such as cholesterol or bilirubin crystallize inside it. People can live without a gallbladder because bile continues to flow directly from the liver into the intestine, although storage and timed release are lost.