Question 1: Define bile and describe its primary function in the digestive system.

Answer: Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver that emulsifies fats, breaking them into smaller droplets to facilitate digestion.

Question 2: Explain how bile aids in the digestion of lipids (fats).

Answer: Bile contains bile salts that emulsify fats, increasing the surface area for enzymes like lipase to break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol.

Question 1: If the liver secretes 600 mL of bile per day, and 75% of it is reabsorbed in the intestines, how much bile is excreted in feces daily? (show your calculation in liters)

Answer: 0.15 liters

Question 2: A patient consumes a meal containing 50 grams of fat. If bile emulsifies fats at a ratio of 1 gram of fat per 0.1 mL of bile, how much bile is needed to emulsify all the fat in the meal?

Answer: 5 mL

Question 1: Describe a simple experiment to test the effect of bile on fat digestion. Include the variables you would control and observe, as well as safety precautions.

Answer: An experiment can involve comparing fat digestion in two test tubes: one with bile and one without. The independent variable is the presence of bile; the dependent variable is the extent of fat breakdown, observed by the formation of emulsion or using indicators. Control variables include temperature, amount of fat, and enzyme presence. Safety precautions involve handling any chemicals carefully and disposing of waste properly.

Question 1: A study reports that patients with liver disease produce 50% less bile than healthy individuals. If a healthy person produces 600 mL of bile daily, how much bile does a patient with liver disease produce? Comment on how this might affect digestion.

Answer: A patient with liver disease produces 300 mL of bile daily. Reduced bile may impair fat emulsification, leading to poor fat digestion and absorption.

Question 1: Explain the process by which bile is produced, stored, and released into the digestive system. Include the roles of the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine. Discuss how disruptions in this process can affect digestion.

Answer: Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When fatty foods enter the small intestine, the gallbladder contracts, releasing bile through the bile duct. Bile emulsifies fats, aiding digestion. Disruptions, such as gallstones blocking bile flow or liver damage reducing bile production, can impair fat digestion, leading to malabsorption and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Question 1: Describe how understanding bile's role has contributed to medical treatments for gallstones or liver diseases.

Answer: Understanding bile's role has led to treatments like gallstone removal surgeries and medications that dissolve stones, as well as liver therapies to improve bile production, enhancing digestion and patient health.