Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1990 Jul;43(7):572–575. doi: 10.1136/jcp.43.7.572

Cholesterol absorption by the gall bladder.

P E Ross 1, A N Butt 1, C Gallacher 1
PMCID: PMC502583  PMID: 2380405

Abstract

Model and real biles were used to investigate factors influencing cholesterol and dextran (70,000 molecular weight) absorption by the gall bladder. Cholesterol absorption was proportional to cholesterol concentration when real bile was used, but model biles showed maximal absorption at cholesterol saturation. Reduction of temperature reduced cholesterol absorption and serosal secretion, but had little effect on dextran absorption. This indicates differences in uptake where cholesterol undergoes passive diffusion but dextran is taken up by fluid-phase endocytosis. Model bile prepared with a single bile salt showed lowest cholesterol uptake from cholate bile, but there was no difference in serosal secretion. Dextran uptake was also lowest from cholate bile, although serosal secretion was highest. These results show that an increase in the biliary content of dihydroxy bile salts increases gall bladder permeability to both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules and may lead to the accumulation of lipids in the mucosa, as seen in cholesterolosis.

Full text

PDF
572

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bateson M. C., Ross P. E., Murison J., Bouchier I. A. Effect of prolonged feeding with chenodeoxycholic acid on bile in patients with and without gallstones. Gut. 1977 Aug;18(8):599–605. doi: 10.1136/gut.18.8.599. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Carey M. C., Small D. M. Micelle formation by bile salts. Physical-chemical and thermodynamic considerations. Arch Intern Med. 1972 Oct;130(4):506–527. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Elhamady M. S., Milne G., Hopwood D., Ross P. E., Bouchier I. A. The uptake of cationized ferritin by guinea-pig gall bladder in vitro. Histochem J. 1984 Mar;16(3):275–285. doi: 10.1007/BF01003611. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. English M., Hopwood D. Lipid in the human gallbladder mucosa. A histochemical study by light and electron microscopy. J Pathol. 1985 Aug;146(4):333–336. doi: 10.1002/path.1711460406. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FOLCH J., LEES M., SLOANE STANLEY G. H. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipides from animal tissues. J Biol Chem. 1957 May;226(1):497–509. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HAYWARD A. F. Electron microscopic observations on absorption in the epithelium of the guinea pig gall bladder. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1962;56:197–202. doi: 10.1007/BF00325114. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jacyna M. R., Ross P. E., Bakar M. A., Hopwood D., Bouchier I. A. Characteristics of cholesterol absorption by human gall bladder: relevance to cholesterolosis. J Clin Pathol. 1987 May;40(5):524–529. doi: 10.1136/jcp.40.5.524. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jacyna M. R., Ross P. E., Gallacher C., Hill A., Hopwood D., Bouchier I. A. Absorption of 'non-absorbable' markers and an improved method for determining cholesterol absorption rates. Br J Exp Pathol. 1988 Feb;69(1):23–33. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Murison J., Festi D., Ross P. E., Bouchier I. A. The estimation of phospholipids in bile. Clin Chim Acta. 1976 Apr 15;68(2):159–166. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(76)90415-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Neiderhiser D. H., Harmon C. K., Roth H. P. Absorption of cholesterol by the gallbladder. J Lipid Res. 1976 Mar;17(2):117–124. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Thomas P. J., Hofmann A. F. Letter: A simple calculation of the lithogenic index of bile: expressing biliary lipid composition on rectangular coordinates. Gastroenterology. 1973 Oct;65(4):698–700. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Watanabe M., Oku T., Shidoji Y., Hosoya N. A new aspect on the mechanism of intestinal cholesterol absorption in rat. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1981;27(3):209–217. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.27.209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Watt S. M., Simmonds W. J. Effects of four taurine-conjugated bile acids on mucosal uptake and lymphatic absorption of cholesterol in the rat. J Lipid Res. 1984 May;25(5):448–455. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Watt S. M., Simmonds W. J. The specificity of bile salts in the intestinal absorption of micellar cholesterol in the rat. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 1976 Jul-Aug;3(4):305–322. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.1976.tb00607.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES