Entry Name Bile secretion
Description Bile is a vital secretion, essential for digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine. Moreover, bile is an important route of elimination for excess cholesterol and many waste product, bilirubin, drugs and toxic compounds. Bile secretion depends on the function of membrane transport systems in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes and on the structural and functional integrity of the biliary tree. The hepatocytes generate the so-called primary bile in their canaliculi. Cholangiocytes modify the canalicular bile by secretory and reabsorptive processes as bile passes through the bile ducts. The main solutes in bile are bile acids, which stimulate bile secretion osmotically, as well as facilitate the intestinal absorption of dietary lipids by their detergent properties. Bile acids are also important signalling molecules. Through the activation of nuclear receptors, they regulate their own synthesis and transport rates.
Class Organismal Systems; Digestive systemBRITE hierarchy
Pathway map Ortholog table Other DBs Reference Authors Meier PJ, Stieger B
Title Bile salt transporters.
Journal Reference Authors Kullak-Ublick GA, Beuers U, Paumgartner G
Title Hepatobiliary transport.
Journal Reference Authors Kosters A, Karpen SJ
Title Bile acid transporters in health and disease.
Journal Reference Authors Anwer MS
Title Cellular regulation of hepatic bile acid transport in health and cholestasis.
Journal Reference Authors Alrefai WA, Gill RK
Title Bile acid transporters: structure, function, regulation and pathophysiological implications.
Journal Reference Authors Trauner M, Boyer JL
Title Bile salt transporters: molecular characterization, function, and regulation.
Journal Reference Authors Klaassen CD, Aleksunes LM
Title Xenobiotic, bile acid, and cholesterol transporters: function and regulation.
Journal Reference Authors Trauner M, Wagner M, Fickert P, Zollner G
Title Molecular regulation of hepatobiliary transport systems: clinical implications for understanding and treating cholestasis.
Journal Reference Authors Arrese M, Trauner M
Title Molecular aspects of bile formation and cholestasis.
Journal Reference Authors Esteller A
Title Physiology of bile secretion.
Journal Reference Authors Takikawa H
Title Hepatobiliary transport of bile acids and organic anions.
Journal Reference Authors St-Pierre MV, Kullak-Ublick GA, Hagenbuch B, Meier PJ
Title Transport of bile acids in hepatic and non-hepatic tissues.
Journal J Exp Biol 204:1673-86 (2001)
Reference Authors Thomas C, Pellicciari R, Pruzanski M, Auwerx J, Schoonjans K
Title Targeting bile-acid signalling for metabolic diseases.
Journal Reference Authors Pauli-Magnus C, Stieger B, Meier Y, Kullak-Ublick GA, Meier PJ
Title Enterohepatic transport of bile salts and genetics of cholestasis.
Journal Reference Authors Pellicoro A, Faber KN
Title Review article: The function and regulation of proteins involved in bile salt biosynthesis and transport.
Journal Reference Authors Jonker JW, Stedman CA, Liddle C, Downes M
Title Hepatobiliary ABC transporters: physiology, regulation and implications for disease.
Journal Reference Authors Modica S, Bellafante E, Moschetta A
Title Master regulation of bile acid and xenobiotic metabolism via the FXR, PXR and CAR trio.
Journal Reference Authors Cai SY, Boyer JL
Title FXR: a target for cholestatic syndromes?
Journal Reference Authors Ballatori N, Li N, Fang F, Boyer JL, Christian WV, Hammond CL
Title OST alpha-OST beta: a key membrane transporter of bile acids and conjugated steroids.
Journal Reference Authors Roma MG, Crocenzi FA, Sanchez Pozzi EA
Title Hepatocellular transport in acquired cholestasis: new insights into functional, regulatory and therapeutic aspects.
Journal Reference Authors Arrese M, Macias RI, Briz O, Perez MJ, Marin JJ
Title Molecular pathogenesis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Journal Related KO pathway
