Activation of a G-protein coupled receptor by conjugated bile acids in primary hepatocytes and liver: effects on glucose metabolism

摘要

Bile acids are synthesized in the liver from cholesterol, conjugated to either glycine or taurine, actively secreted into bile and stored in the gallbladder. Following a meal, the gallbladder is stimulated to contract, releasing its contents into the small intestine. Bile acids, acting as detergent molecules, play an important role in the solubilization and absorption of cholesterol, fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Bile acids are efficiently (>95%) recovered from the intestine by a sodium-dependent active transporter expressed in epithelial cells in the ileum. Bile acids are returned to the liver via the portal blood where they are actively transported back into the liver hepatocytes and again secreted. This process is termed enterohepatic circulation.