The anatomy and physiology of the cystic duct have been relatively neglected by anatomists and the function of the spiral mucosal folds or "valves" of Heister, first described in 1732, remains obscure. The gross and microscopic anatomy of the cystic duct is reviewed together with results from laboratory investigations into the function of the cystic duct and its spirally arranged folds. The duct and spiral folds contain muscle fibers responsive to pharmacologic, hormonal, and neural stimuli. There is, however, no convincing evidence of a discrete muscular sphincter within the duct. Although the cystic duct is unlikely to play a major role in gallbladder filling and emptying, it appears to function as more than a passive conduit. Coordinated, graded muscular activity in the cystic duct in response to hormonal and neural stimuli may facilitate gallbladder emptying. The principal function of the internal spiral folds that are found in man and other animals may be to preserve patency of this narrow, tortuous tube rather than to regulate bile flow.
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