Regulation of hepatic and intestinal bile acid transport by FXR-controlled pathways

摘要

Bile acids are physiological detergents that promote absorption and excretion of cholesterol, lipids, and other hydrophobic compounds in the liver and intestine1. Bile acids are synthesized de novo in the liver through cholesterol catabolism and stored in die gallbladder, from which they are postprandially released into the intestine. From the ileum bile acids are returned back to the liver via portal blood. The enterohepatic circulation of bile acids is a highly efficient process in healthy individuals, and is of crucial importance for the maintenance of bile flow and hepatic secretory function. The recycling of bile acids between the liver and intestine is mediated by specific transporter proteins, expressed at the plasma membranes of hepatocytes and enterocytes in a polarized manner2.