Cholesterol Metabolism in the Gerbil

Abstract

Summary

The metabolism of C¹⁴-cholesterol has been studied in the gerbil. At the end of 14 days, 60% of the radioactivity, originally administered as cholesterol, was excreted. Of this, 90% appeared in feces and 10% in urine. The radioactivity in feces was found predominantly in the bile acid fraction. The enhanced urinary radioactivity found in the gerbil suggests that conversion into steroid hormones is a more important pathway of cholesterol metabolism in this animal than in the rat. The distribution of radioactivity remaining in organs and carcass following administration of C¹⁴-cholesterol was also studied.