Gastrointestinal Tract - Gallbladder Histology

Embryology - 1 Dec 2023 Expand to Translate
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Introduction

Gallbladder transverse section historic drawing.

This section of notes gives an overview mainly of adult gallbladder histology. Note that the term "gall bladder" can also be used for this organ.

Page also provides further background information for Medicine phase 1 Health Maintenance B Hepatobiliary System 2 Practical Virtual Slides. This page content is not part of the HMB practical class.

HMB: Pancreas Histology | Liver Histology | Gallbladder Histology | Renal System Histology

Historic Embryology - Gastrointestinal Tract
1878 Alimentary Canal \| 1882 The Organs of the Inner Germ-Layer The Alimentary Tube with its Appended Organs \| 1884 Great omentum and transverse mesocolon \| 1902 Meckel's diverticulum \| 1902 The Organs of Digestion \| 1903 Submaxillary Gland \| 1906 Liver \| 1907 Development of the Digestive System \| 1907 Atlas \| 1907 23 Somite Embryo \| 1908 Liver \| 1908 Liver and Vascular \| 1910 Mucous membrane Oesophagus to Small Intestine \| 1910 Large intestine and Vermiform process \| 1911-13 Intestine and Peritoneum - Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 \| Part 5 \| Part 6 \| 1912 Digestive Tract \| 1912 Stomach \| 1914 Digestive Tract \| 1914 Intestines \| 1914 Rectum \| 1915 Pharynx \| 1915 Intestinal Rotation \| 1917 Entodermal Canal \| 1918 Anatomy \| 1921 Alimentary Tube \| 1932 Gall Bladder \| 1939 Alimentary Canal Looping \| 1940 Duodenum anomalies \| 2008 Liver \| 2016 GIT Notes \| Historic Disclaimer
Human Embryo: 1908 13-14 Somite Embryo \| 1921 Liver Suspensory Ligament \| 1926 22 Somite Embryo \| 1907 23 Somite Embryo \| 1937 25 Somite Embryo \| 1914 27 Somite Embryo \| 1914 Week 7 Embryo
Animal Development: 1913 Chicken \| 1951 Frog

Lab Audio

Wednesday 24 August 2011 3-3:30 pm G2G4.

Gallbladder Structure

Anatomy

Pear-shaped
distensible sac (about 50ml volume)
Attached to posterioinferior surface of liver
Embryonic - foregut, forms from primitive bile duct
leads to cystic duct
- Liver -> hepatic duct
- Gallbladder -> cystic duct
- Common Bile duct

Macroscopic Mucosal features:

Mucosa (epithelium + lamina propria)
- Mucosal folds
- Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses
Serosa/Adventitia (dense CT + visceral mesothelium)

Epithelium

Columnar epithelium with microvilli (absorptive epithelium)
- Epithelium lining the biliary system does not contain mucus-producing cells (few located in neck of gall bladder)
Basement membrane (not basal lamina which forms part of basement membrane and only visible by EM)

Lamina Propria

connective tissue
collagen fibers and fibroblasts
fenestrated capillaries and venules
lymphocytes and plasma cells

Smooth Muscle Layer

random orientation of smooth muscle cells (fibers)
muscularis propria (or fibromuscular coat)^[1]
- not like the rest of GIT smooth muscle organisation, which is divided into muscularis mucosa (inside submucosa), muscularis externa (circular and longitudinal)
- various terminology used for this layer in different sources

Serosa/Adventitia

Dense connective tissue layer covered with visceral mesothelium epithelial layer
- Adventitia - where it is attached to the liver
- Serosa - where it is free in the peritoneum
Large blood vessels (arteries, veins)
Obvious lymphatic vessels
Autonomic nerve bundles
Adipose tissue

Gall Bladder Function

bile storage
bile concentration
bile release

Histology Images

Development Histology

Adult Histology

References

↑ Raparia K, Zhai QJ, Schwartz MR, Shen SS, Ayala AG & Ro JY. (2010). Muscularis mucosae versus muscularis propria in gallbladder, cystic duct, and common bile duct: smoothelin and desmin immunohistochemical study. Ann Diagn Pathol , 14, 408-12. PMID: 21074688 DOI.

Historic

Embryology Historic Terminology

Luschka ducts (duct of Luschka) is historic term referring to an accessory bile duct.

folds of Heister (spiral valves of Heister) are undulating folds containing muscle fibers in the proximal mucosa of the cystic duct. First described by Heister in 1732. PMID: 15696536

External Links

External Links Notice - The dynamic nature of the internet may mean that some of these listed links may no longer function. If the link no longer works search the web with the link text or name. Links to any external commercial sites are provided for information purposes only and should never be considered an endorsement. UNSW Embryology is provided as an educational resource with no clinical information or commercial affiliation.

Blue Histology Gallbladder
UNSW Virtual Slides Medicine phase 1 Health Maintenance B Hepatobiliary System 2 Practical (requires login for access).
UIOWA Virtual Slidebox of Histology Liver and biliary system

Glossary Links

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2023, December 1) Embryology Gastrointestinal Tract - Gallbladder Histology. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Gastrointestinal_Tract_-_Gallbladder_Histology

What Links Here?

[PMID21074688-1] Raparia K, Zhai QJ, Schwartz MR, Shen SS, Ayala AG & Ro JY. (2010). Muscularis mucosae versus muscularis propria in gallbladder, cystic duct, and common bile duct: smoothelin and desmin immunohistochemical study. Ann Diagn Pathol , 14, 408-12. PMID: 21074688 DOI.

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