Fig. 2.

Equilibrium phase diagrams for common taurine-conjugated bile salts, lecithin (egg yolk), and cholesterol in 0.15 M NaCl as functions of hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of the bile salt (37°C, pH 7.0, total lipid concentration 7.5 g/dl). As bile salt hydrophobicity is decreased (TDC > TCDC > TC > TUDC), the maximum micellar cholesterol solubility is reduced; concomitantly, the multiphase regions above the micellar zone are all shifted to the left, i.e., to lower phospholipids-to-bile salt ratios. Because of this, the crystallization pathways (labeled A to E) are also moved to the left. Reproduced with permission from Ref. 22.