Where are bile pigments produced?

Bile pigments are produced in the liver, specifically from the breakdown of hemoglobin in aged red blood cells. The primary bile pigment is bilirubin, which is a product of the heme portion of hemoglobin. Once formed in the liver, bilirubin is then conjugated to become water-soluble and excreted into bile.

The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver but does not produce bile pigments itself. The pancreas is primarily involved in the secretion of digestive enzymes and hormones, while the biliary ducts serve to transport bile from the liver to the gallbladder and duodenum, but they do not engage in the production of bile pigments. Therefore, the liver is the correct site for bile pigment production.