Figure 1.
Enterohepatic circulation of bile acids showing the individual transport proteins in hepatocytes, ileocytes (ileal enterocytes), and renal proximal tubule cells. Overall, this integrated transport system minimizes fecal and urinary bile acid loss and functions to largely restrict these potentially cytotoxic detergents to the intestinal and hepatobiliary compartments. (BA, bile acids; T/G; taurine or glycine-conjugated bile acids; sulfate or glucuronide (S/U)-conjugated bile acids; H, tetrahydroxylated bile acids).