Final answer:
Bile flows from hepatocytes in the liver to small ducts that join into larger ducts, ultimately forming the common hepatic duct. The common hepatic duct combines with the cystic duct from the gallbladder to form the common bile duct, through which bile is funneled into the small intestine for digestive processes. So, the correct answer is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
The route by which bile flows begins with its production by hepatocytes within the liver. These hepatocytes secret bile into small channels called bile canaliculi, which join to form bile ductules and subsequently merge into larger bile ducts. As the bile ducts converge, they form the right and left hepatic ducts, which exit the liver as the common hepatic duct. This duct then combines with the cystic duct from the gallbladder, creating what is known as the common bile duct. Through the common bile duct, bile is delivered into the small intestine, where it plays a crucial role in the digestion and absorption of fats, as well as in the neutralization of acidic chyme from the stomach.