Figure 2.

Microbial metabolism of host-derived primary bile acids.

Primary bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol by hepatocytes. Primary bile acids are then biotransformed by resident bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract to secondary bile acids, such as LCA and DCA, which predominate in humans. Abbreviations: CA, cholate; CDCA, chenodeoxycholate; DCA, deoxycholate; HCA, hyocholate; HDCA, hyodeoxycholate; LCA, lithocholate; MDCA, murideoxycholate; UDCA, ursodeoxycholate; αMCA, α-muricholate; βMCA, β-muricholate; ωMCA, ω-muricholate.