Biliary lipid secretion in the regenerating liver of the rat.

The effect of two-thirds hepatectomy on biliary lipid secretion was studied in fasted rats. Bile acids, cholesterol and phospholipids were determined in the bile of rats with biliary drainage. Bile acid and phospholipid concentrations were not significantly modified during liver regeneration but there was a significant decrease in cholesterol concentrations in bile at 12 h after hepatectomy, with a gradual return to normal values. The molar percentage of cholesterol and the calculated lithogenic index of bile were also significantly decreased by 12 h. The biliary secretion of bile acids and phospholipids, expressed per gram of liver, showed a tendency to increase regeneration, but cholesterol secretion was significantly decreased from 12 to 48 h following liver resection. Some possibilities to explain the uncoupling between cholesterol secretion and bile acid secretion are discussed.