Lipid Content and Volume of Bile Secreted by Choline-Deficient Rats with Fatty Livers

Abstract

Diets deficient in or supplemented with choline were fed to a series of 37 exptl. and 15 control rats. After a varying period (up to 33 wks.) on one of the diets, the total output of bile was collected by means of an external biliary fistula from each animal. The total lipid, cholesterol and P of the bile, bile volume and total liver fat were estimated in the 2 groups and in normal rats. The avg. total lipid and cholesterol content, and in addition the volume, of bile from choline-deficient rats with fatty livers were found to be less than the values for normal rats. It appears that the presence of choline is necessary to maintain the ability of the liver cell to secrete bile and also the lipid constituents of bile.