Final answer:
The gallbladder is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity, just under the liver. It stores and concentrates bile, which is secreted into the duodenum to help digest fats.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gallbladder is an accessory organ in the digestive system, primarily functioning to store and concentrate bile produced by the liver until it is needed for digestion. This small, pouch-like organ is located in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) of the abdominal cavity. Specifically, the gallbladder is nestled in a shallow area on the posterior aspect of the right lobe of the liver, making the RUQ its precise location. The gallbladder consists of three regions: the fundus, the body, and the neck, which connects to the cystic duct and then to the common bile duct leading to the duodenum. When fatty acids enter the duodenum, bile is secreted from the gallbladder to aid in the digestion of these fats.