Abstract
Summary
Two sequences are involved in the elimination of tissue sterol via the bile acid pathway: the conversion of the sterols to bile acids, and the elimination of these bile acids from their pool. Since either of these could be rate-limiting, we investigated this point in normal and hypophysectomized rats. Cholestyramine (MK-135) was used to increase the turnover rate of the bile acid pool. Since the bile acid pool sizes did not decrease when faster turnover rates were induced, the rate of bile acid elimination and not the rate of conversion of liver sterols to bile acids was shown to be the rate-limiting sequence in both types of rats. It thus appears that thyroid, adrenal, gonadal or pituitary hormones do not directly influence the rate of conversion of sterols to bile acids in this species.
We wish to thank Merck-Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories for a generous gift of chioles-tyramine.
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