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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.

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Selected References

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

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