Bile Acids in the Intestines and Their Enterohepatic Circulation

Disposition of Bile Acids in the Intestines and Their Enterohepatic Circulation 

With ingestion of food, cholecystokinin (Chapter 12) is released into the blood and causes contraction of the gallbladder, whose contents are rapidly emptied into the 

Temporary storage of conjugated bile acids GALLBLADDER /  

Formation, enterohepatic circulation, and disposition of the bile acids. CDCA = Chenodeoxycholic acid. 

In liver disorders, serum levels of bile acids are elevated, and their measurement is a sensitive indicator of liver disease. Bile acids are not normally found in urine owing to efficient uptake by the liver and excretion into the intestines. In hepatocellular disease and obstructive jaundice, however, their urinary excretion increases. 

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