Gastroenterology Consultants,SC: Diseases of the GI tract GALLSTONES [<<back | list all>>] The gallbladder is a pear shaped organ that rests under the liver in the right upper abdomen. The liver produces bile, a yellow liquid needed by the intestine to help digest fat and oils. Ducts, or tubes, carry bile from the liver to gallbladder and on to the intestine. Bile is stored in the gallbladder, which contracts periodically to force the bile into the intestine. The gallbladder absorbs water from the bile, causing it to thicken. In some people, tiny crystals form from the cholesterol and pigments. These crystals grow gradually until one or even hundreds of gallstone develop.